‘Late January, We Knew’: Ex-Pence Aide Says White House Knew Virus Severity Early

Woodward reported in his new book “Rage” that National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien delivered a “jarring” briefing to Trump on Jan. 28 stating the virus was the “biggest national security threat” of his administration, which reportedly caused Trump’s head to “pop up.”

“Late January, we knew,” Troye confirmed to NBC’s Andrea Mitchell in an interview that will air later Tuesday, noting that there was a “task force meeting and discussion” where they talked about how “this was going to be big” on Jan. 28.

Audio tapes from Woodward reveal Trump himself was cognizant of the deadliness of the virus in early February saying it “goes through the air” and is “more deadly than even your strenuous flus,” saying later in March that the virus affects “not just old people,” but “plenty of young people” too.

Nonetheless, Trump tweeted in early March that the virus was less deadly than the flu and repeatedly said it would “disappear,” and as recently as Monday he incorrectly claimed it “affects virtually nobody” and that “nobody young” is dying of the virus in some states.

Troye alleged Trump hijacked the task force for “his own personal agenda,” rather than their purpose of determining “how are we going to save and protect Americans,” bolstering accusations from the administration’s critics that the virus response has long been politicized.

“He’s not actually looking out for you,” Troye asserted, claiming he holds crowded election rallies because he “wants you in that audience so he can have the camera shot of his fanfare and the people around him,” even though he’s “putting those lives at risk.”