Top GOP senator calls Trump’s leadership in pandemic ‘great human tragedy’

A top Republican senator has lashed out at Donald Trump’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic worsened as a result of the post-election chaos, casting the US president's rhetoric as a “great human tragedy.”

Mitt Romney, one of Trump’s most vociferous critics, censured the president’s leadership at a time that the coronavirus surges across the country and he, instead, continues to push unfounded conspiracy theories about the election.

"Well, this hasn't been the focus of his rhetoric, apparently, and I think it's a great human tragedy, without question," Romney told CNN on Thursday night, adding that the “extraordinary loss of life is heartbreaking — and in some respects unnecessary.”

"This hasn't been the focus of his rhetoric apparently and I think it's a great human tragedy," says Sen. Mitt Romney of Trump's approach to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The extraordinary loss of life is heartbreaking... From Washington, we have not had a constant, consistent plan.” pic.twitter.com/pmHsJjykxw

— CNN (@CNN) December 4, 2020

The top senator went on to say that, “Not all respects, but we've relaxed our standards as individuals. Some states haven't had mask mandates. And from Washington we have not had a constant, consistent plan and plea for people to wear masks, to social-distance, to take all the measures that would reduce the spread of this disease."

The United States officially recorded more than 14 million coronavirus cases as of Thursday, a toll suggesting that the flu-like pathogen is spreading at an alarming rate ahead of winter travel and holiday gatherings.

Trump has so far been largely silent when it comes to acknowledging the gravity of the pathological crisis, and instead, he is continuing his efforts to challenge the result of the US presidential election on November 3, in which he has declined to concede defeat to his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.

Trump loses another election court challenge

Pennsylvania

Biden won the Electoral College vote — the state-by-state competition deciding the winner — by 306 to 232.

The president-elect also won the popular national vote by 51 to 47 percent.

Biden has proceeded with the transition process, despite efforts by Trump and his campaign to undo the election, and is due to be sworn in on January 20.

Many of Trump’s public statements, including a 46-minute video he posted to Facebook on Wednesday, revolved around election conspiracy theories and voter fraud allegations.

Asked if some Trump’s Republican Party governors were costing American lives by not implementing more health measures and refusing to enact a mask mandate or close nonessential businesses, Romney responded, "Well, no question, unless you take this very, very seriously and communicate that this is not a political matter, this is not a matter of liberty, this is a matter of safety and public health.”

"And we have people who are very, very sick, many people in the hospital. We have people who have died and are dying. It’s unacceptable."

White House warns COVID-19 cases at dire levels, says patient care could be compromised

The White House coronavirus task force is issuing a dire warning to states.

The US president has repeatedly blamed China for the pandemic, describing the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” since China was the first ever country that officially reported the virus in late December, last year.

Beijing acknowledged that the city of Wuhan in central Hubei province was the place where the coronavirus erupted but categorically dismissed allegations that the deadly virus was originated there or was man-made.

One year on, the virus has infected over 64 million people and killed more than 1,492,000 others, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The US stands on the top of the list of the most affected countries, with 13,921,374 confirmed cases of infection and 273,181 deaths.

According to media, US coronavirus hospitalizations have jumped to their highest since the onset of the global pandemic and this is while healthcare professionals are short-staffed, with many of their colleagues being infected with the virus.

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A new government study finds the coronavirus was present in the US earlier than identified in mid-December last year.

Fauci accepts Biden's offer to serve in new administration

Meanwhile, US top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci announced on Friday that he had accepted “right on the spot” Biden's offer to serve as chief medical adviser in his administration.

“Absolutely, I said yes right on the spot,” Fauci told NBC.

Fauci is due to continue serving as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a role he has held through six presidential administrations, while also leading the country's efforts against the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump, who previously called health experts “idiots,” has on many occasions disagreed with Fauci over COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump suggests he might try to fire Fauci after election

Donald Trump has suggested he might fire his top health expert Anthony Fauci after the Nov. 3 election.

The US president has played down the infection and is continuing to do so, drawing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

Trump suggested at his final campaign rally last month that he may fire Fauci after he had publicly contradicted the president’s remarks about the pandemic and criticized his disregard for public health guidelines by holding large campaign rallies.

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