German documentary condemns Washington's irresponsibility in dealing with pandemic

BERLIN - The German public broadcaster ZDF aired a documentary criticizing the US administration's irresponsibility in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

The documentary, titled "The Irresponsible - Trump and Coronavirus," which was initially broadcast on May 13, said that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had warned the health ministry in Washington along with a warning from the World Health Organization that the virus would threaten the national security of the United States.

However, in early January, US President Donald Trump was busy with issues concerning Iran and his election campaign, ignoring the CDC and the secret services' warnings time and again, the documentary said.

Trump downplayed the virus threat, and refused to pursue a coordinated and determined strategy to rescue Americans, it said, adding that the so-called playbook for pandemics was shelved, the early warning system destroyed by massive funding cuts, and the national medication reserve neglected.

In the documentary, ZDF correspondent Elmar Thevessen showed a chronicle of the failure of the Trump administration, and described what made America so defenseless against the virus, an overpowering opponent who cannot be intimidated or wrapped up.

Thevessen evaluated internal documents from Trump's advisory staff, obtained numerous expert opinions from different political camps, and reconstructed the actions of the US president at crucial moments.