Pelosi hopes Trump's diagnosis will lead to 'a saner approach' to fighting coronavirus


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hopes some action comes of President Trump's coronavirus diagnosis.
After Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19, Pelosi said she "always pray[s] for the president and his family, that they're safe," and guaranteed that Trump will "have the best of care." But "that's we want for everyone in our country," Pelosi continued, spinning Trump's positive test into a call for better COVID-19 protections and treatments for all.
"I hope this will be a moment where people will understand" the importance of the House's next coronavirus relief bill, as well as "testing, tracing, treatment," social distancing, and masks, Pelosi said. "But more than learning, it has to be something that is acted upon," Pelosi continued. After all, "going into crowds unmasked ... was sort of a brazen invitation for something like this to happen," she added. But she's "nonetheless hopeful that it will be a transition to a saner approach to what this virus is all about."
Subscribe to 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.
Trump and the first lady reported their positive diagnoses early Friday morning. As of 10 a.m. EDT Friday, Vice President Mike Pence, second lady Karen Pence, Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Trump's son Barron Trump had tested negative for the virus.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Israel: Losing the American public
Feature A recent poll finds American support for Israel's military action in Gaza has fallen from 50% to 32%
-
Unmaking Americans
Feature Trump is threatening to revoke the citizenship of foreign-born Americans. Could he do that?
-
EPA: A bonfire of climate change regulations
Feature The Environmental Protection Agency wants to roll back its 'endangerment finding,' a ruling that lets the agency regulate carbon emissions
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeover
Speed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'