Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claimed Saturday’s that people in her Queens constituency are “too scared to go to the hospital” because of President Donald Trump’s “xenophobic COVID response.”
“Corona, Queens is the most heavily COVID-impacted zip code in America,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “I can tell you 1st hand that many ppl are too scared to go to the hospital & continue to work bc of Trump’s xenophobic COVID response.”
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to media before participating in a Census Town Hall at the Louis Armstrong Middle School in Queens, New York City, U.S., February 22, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
Corona, Queens is the most heavily COVID-impacted zip code in America. I can tell you 1st hand that many ppl are too scared to go to the hospital & continue to work bc of Trump’s xenophobic COVID response.
In that uncertainty, street vendors are stepping up and saving lives ⬇️ https://t.co/nYkjhwXcPI
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 11, 2020
Among the reasons the congresswoman cites as evidence of Trump’s xenophobia is his alleged targeting of the “Asian community in his rhetoric & TV ads” and “late, little, or no translation of public health mandates into multiple languages.” (RELATED: ‘We Should Blalme China’: Bill Maher Unloads On People Tiptoeing Around The Coronavirus Origin)
How is Trump’s response xenophobic?
– Targets Asian community in his rhetoric & TV ads, incl ads depicting Asian Americans as Chinese officials
– Late, little, or no translation of public health mandates into multiple languages
– Booting ITIN immigrant taxpayers from CARES relief— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 11, 2020
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has also accused Trump of “xenophobia” when the president called the coronavirus a “foreign virus.” (RELATED: Trump: Biden ‘Couldn’t Tell You’ What Xenophobia Means)
FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN’s Washington studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
Others have decided that xenophobia aptly describes Trump’s decision to identify the COVID-19 virus as originating in China — as it did. CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta said Trump calling the COVID-19 virus a “foreign virus” would be seen by “a lot of Americans as smacking of xenophobia.”
Comedian Stephen Colbert said it was “very racist” of Trump to blame China for the coronavirus outbreak. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also claimed it was “racist rhetoric” to link China and the COVID-19 pandemic.