Peter Navarro on surging hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 hotspots, timing of when to reopen the economy
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro joins Judge Jeanine Pirro on 'Justice.'
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CBS News answered a challenge from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro to provide proof that “60 Minutes” covered the possibility of a global pandemic long before President Trump and the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
Navarro sat down with “60 Minutes” reporter Bill Whitaker on Sunday to defend the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. During the interview, Navarro dared the veteran correspondent to provide evidence that the CBS News had sounded the alarm about a potential pandemic prior to Trump taking office.
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“Show me the ‘60 Minutes’ episode a year ago, two years ago or during the Obama administration, during the Bush administration, that said, ‘Hey a global pandemic’s coming, you’ve got to do XYZ and by the way we would shut down the entire global economy to fight it,” Navarro said. “Show me that episode, then you’ll have some credence in terms of attacking the Trump administration for not being prepared.”
Whitaker responded by guaranteeing that “60 Minutes” had aired that type of segment in the past.
“60 Minutes Overtime” then unearthed old footage of the program reporting on the possibility of a global pandemic that first aired during both the Bush and Obama administrations.
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“60 Minutes Overtime” shared portions of a 2005 story, "Chasing the Flu,” in which correspondent Steve Kroft reported on H5N1 and spoke with current coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was the Bush administration’s point person for H5N1.
"Right now, and we all admit that, right now if we had an explosion of an H5N1, we would not be prepared for that," Fauci told Kroft in the 2005 interview.
CBS News also played a portion of a 2009 segment when correspondent Scott Pelley reported on the H1N1 pandemic. Pelley explained the meaning of the word “pandemic” and noted H1N1 was the first flu pandemic in 41 years.
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Last week, Navarro had a heated interview with CNN host John Berman on Monday over his stance on hydroxychloroquine – to which he admitted to having a disagreement with Dr. Fauci over.
“If we didn't have disagreement and debate in the Trump administration, this administration wouldn’t be as strong as it is,” Navarro said.
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