Donald Trump infamously said, “anybody that wants a test, can get a test.” Not only is that still not true, but based on what the president said Thursday night, even if the U.S. had the capability to test everyone, he doesn’t want to do widespread testing. While speaking from a medical equipment distribution center in Allentown, Pennsylvania where he again didn’t wear a mask, Trump said testing could be “overrated.” He then went on to give his analysis on why less testing would keep the number of positive results down (duh!).

Sure there would be fewer confirmed cases of coronavirus, but there are countless problems with this logic (or lack of logic). Less testing would most likely mean a higher death, more people left without the proper treatment, no contact tracing and the list goes on and on.

Meanwhile, there is a report today that the White House did indeed talk about testing fewer people. The Daily Beast reports “Trump feared testing too many people for virus would spook stock markets.”

 In a quote attributed to an unnamed Trump confidant who is said to speak to the president frequently, it’s claimed: “Jared [Kushner] had been arguing that testing too many people, or ordering too many ventilators, would spook the markets and so we just shouldn’t do it… That advice worked far more powerfully on [Trump] than what the scientists were saying. He thinks they always exaggerate.” 

https://twitter.com/PeterGleick/status/1261156041196093441

The testing comment is also now the subject of parody videos.

And it’s also magnified the obvious, there still aren’t enough tests.