President Trump is doubling down on labeling the COVID-19 coronavirus the "Chinese virus" even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director calls such language inappropriate.
Trump in a tweet on Tuesday morning criticizing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) labeled the virus that originated in Wuhan, China, the "Chinese Virus," repeating the term after using it in a tweet on Monday.
Though the COVID-19 coronavirus was initially described in some media reports as the "Wuhan virus" before it became a global pandemic, CDC Director Robert Redfield recently agreed that it's not appropriate to use terms like "Chinese coronavirus," NBC News reports. The World Health Organization has also warned about "public stigmatization among specific populations and the rise of harmful stereotypes" amid the spread of the virus, saying that "governments, citizens, media, key influencers & communities have an important role to play in preventing & stopping stigma."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In his Oval Office address last week, Trump described the COVID-19 coronavirus as a "foreign virus" while noting that it "started in China."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was among those who criticized Trump for his "Chinese virus" tweet on Monday, writing, "Our Asian-American communities — people YOU serve — are already suffering. They don't need you fueling more bigotry."
Following Trump's tweet on Tuesday, CBS News' Weijia Jiang said that a White House this morning "referred to #Coronavirus as the 'Kung-Flu' to my face," adding, "Makes me wonder what they're calling it behind my back."
-
How the War Department became the Department of Defense – and back againIn Depth In 1947 President Harry Truman restructured the US military establishment, breaking with naming tradition
-
Codeword: December 8, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku hard: December 8, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
