Trump defies expert opinions on coronavirus: 'It will go away, just stay calm'

President Trump's comments on the COVID-19 coronavirus diverge slightly from other officials.

During a Tuesday press conference, Trump sought to reassure the public, saying everything from "it will go away, just stay calm," to stating the U.S. has done a "very good job" in testing for the virus, reports CNN's Daniel Dale.

Asked about the possibility that millions could be exposed to the virus, Trump had a similarly positive, though slightly nonsensical, answer:

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Trump has reportedly been fixated on the economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak, and announced Monday he'd seek possible payroll tax cuts to provide "substantial relief" to the economy as markets continue to suffer under the global spread. Tuesday's focus was no different, and Trump said a "lot of good things are going to happen. The consumer is ready. The consumer is so powerful in our country with what we've done with tax cuts and regulation cuts and all of those things."

The president's comments stood in sharp contrast to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield's remarks: Redfield said U.S. hospitals are already close to maxed out in their ability to care for patients with respiratory issues, reports The Washington Post's Aaron Blake. "We really don't have a lot of resilience in the capacity of our health care system," said Redfield, noting the one-two punch of coronavirus and flu season has pushed hospitals nearly to their limits.

Redfield also disagreed with Trump's assessment that a border wall could mitigate the virus' spread. Summer Meza