Trump scapegoated minorities to deflect COVID-19 blame

Evidence

In the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, the media subjected President Trump to harsh criticism for minimizing the threat of the virus. As infections and deaths started to spiral upward, Trump and his allies sought to deflect the blame. As so often in American history, racial minorities were scapegoated. In this case, it was Chinese Americans and immigrants. — Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry, The Flag and the Cross, 127

In the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, the media subjected President Trump to harsh criticism for minimizing the threat of the virus. As infections and deaths started to spiral upward, Trump and his allies sought to deflect the blame. As so often in American history, racial minorities were scapegoated. In this case, it was Chinese Americans and immigrants. It still is. Republican politicians and pundits such as Florida Gov. Ron De Santis and Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson were quick to blame the Delta variant on “illegal immigrants” crossing the Southern border. — Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry, The Flag and the Cross, 127

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry, The Flag and the Cross: White Christian…, 127
• XREF: connects to: India’s Muslim minority was scapegoated by Hindu extremists for the domestic outbreak of COVID-19 — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 457; COVID-19 in India was blamed on all 200 million Muslims nationwide — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 460; India’s COVID-19 outbreak was weaponized against Muslims through state and mob violence. — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 465 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• India’s Muslim minority was scapegoated by Hindu extremists for the domestic outbreak of COVID-19 #exemplifies (0.85) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 457
• Hindu extremists blamed India’s COVID outbreak on its Muslim community #exemplifies (0.85) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 457
• Hindutva nationalists dubbed COVID-19 ‘Corona Jihad’ online #exemplifies (0.85)
• India’s COVID-19 outbreak was weaponized against Muslims through state and mob violence. #exemplifies (0.82) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 465
• COVID-19 in India was blamed on all 200 million Muslims nationwide #exemplifies (0.80) — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 460
• All 200 million Indian Muslims were scapegoated as COVID spreaders #exemplifies (0.80)
• Hindu mobs boycotted Muslim businesses over fake COVID infection claims #exemplifies (0.80)
• The pandemic generated new Islamophobic scapegoating across countries #expands (0.75)
• Demographic anxiety drives demagogues to scapegoat racial minorities #corroborates (0.75)
• Hindu gatherings of similar scale drew no COVID blame #corroborates (0.75)
• Blame targets groups already stereotyped as capable of harm #corroborates (0.70)