Trump Falsely Claims COVID Numbers Are 'Going Down Almost Everywhere'

"The president overstated the U.S. success in fighting the pandemic in a tweet Monday."

"President Donald Trump falsely claimed Monday that the coronavirus is abating in the U.S., despite data showing that the virus is on the rise in some states and a lack of testing leaves experts unsure about infection rates elsewhere.

"Coronavirus numbers are looking MUCH better, going down almost everywhere. Big progress being made!" Trump tweeted Monday morning. The claim dovetails with the president's push to reopen the country to try to restart the economy amid historic unemployment numbers, even as thousands of people die from the virus daily and researchers raise predicted death tolls.

'Anybody that claims we're on a downward trajectory nationally is out of touch with reality,' said Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the Columbia University National Center for Disaster Preparedness, who is a public health analyst for NBC News and MSNBC."

Jane C. Timm reports for NBC News May 11, 2020.

Source: NBC News, 05/13/2020