Day 1,216: Trump: 1.5 million coronavirus cases is a ‘badge of honor’

There’s political spin and then there’s actual stupidity. Donald Trump is currently doing both on the coronavirus, as his administration’s woeful attempts to respond to the disease for months have left millions of Americans unnecessarily exposed.

Monday, Trump said he is taking an unproven drug that is more likely to kill him than prevent him from getting the coronavirus.

Tuesday, intent on doubling down, Trump pronounced that it is “[not] a bad thing,” but is a “badge of honor” that the U.S. has seen so many people test positive for the disease.

The U.S. has seen more than 1.5 million residents infected and 90,000 killed by the disease with no real end in sight.

By way of comparison, U.S. and South Korea saw their first confirmed case on the same day. Since then, the U.S. has had about 4,500 cases and 270 deaths per million residents; South Korea has had about 200 cases and 5 deaths per million residents. And while the U.S. is trying to figure out how to fully open, South Korea is more or less back to normal thanks to an aggressive early response.

It’s not a badge of honor that the U.S. has about 4% of the world’s population and nearly 30% of its coronavirus deaths.

1,216 days in, 246 to go

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