Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Trump coronavirus optimism rebuffed by health experts fears
President Trump says America is turning the corner on the coronavirus and will defeat it "very easily" with a vaccine but public health experts are worried about a cold-weather spike in the meantime, posing a key test of whether Americans can buckle down for a few more months. Published September 14, 2020
Trump at Henderson, Nevada rally rips Biden as unfit to be president
President Trump late Sunday said the "gloves are off" as he derided Democratic nominee Joseph R. Biden as unfit for the presidency, too soft on anti-police protesters and inconsistent on fracking and other issues. Published September 13, 2020
Trump awards Medal of Honor to Sgt. Maj. Thomas Payne
President Trump awarded Army Sgt. Maj. Thomas P. Payne the nation's highest military honor Friday for his bravery in facing a "blistering hail of gunfire" and actual flames during a hostage-rescue mission in Iraq five years ago, at one point exchanging his rifle for bolt cutters to free prisoners while enemy bullets pinged the walls around him. Published September 11, 2020
Trump hails Bahrain-Israel deal ahead of Sept. 15 signing ceremony: ‘A truly historic day’
President Trump hailed Bahrain's decision to normalize relations with Israel on Friday as a historic breakthrough for the Middle East ahead of an official signing ceremony at the White House on Tuesday. Published September 11, 2020
Ron DeSantis, Florida gov.: Miami-area counties can resume in-person learning
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday said Florida's two most-populous counties can resume in-person learning on Monday, pointing to progress against the coronavirus pandemic and his pledge to let parents choose between online learning or the classroom. Published September 11, 2020
Trump defends virus response, comparison to flu: ‘I never lied’
President Trump defended his coronavirus response Thursday amid an uproar over his admission he tended to "play down" the threat early on, pointing to a decline in new cases and deaths and arguing he never lied to the public. Published September 10, 2020
Andrew Cuomo, New York governor: Maskless riders face $50 fine
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday said people who refuse to wear a mask on buses and trains in the New York City area will face a $50 fine. Published September 10, 2020
Adm. Brett Giroir, COVID-19 testing czar: U.S. inching closer to widespread, at-home testing
The coronavirus testing czar said Thursday the U.S. will approve an accurate home test but "don't expect it in the next month or two," as technology catches up with ambition. Published September 10, 2020
Americans fear coronavirus vaccine will be based on politics over safety
Most Americans worry that political pressure will force the Food and Drug Administration to approve a coronavirus vaccine before ensuring its safety, and more than half say they wouldn't want a vaccine that is approved and available before Election Day, according to a poll underscoring fears that politics will override science in the scramble to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Published September 10, 2020
Biden: Trump ‘lied’ about threat of coronavirus
Joseph R. Biden pounced on the news Wednesday that President Trump purposely downplayed the threat of the coronavirus in the pandemic's early stages, calling his conduct a "life and death betrayal of the American people." Published September 9, 2020
Trump knew of coronavirus dangers in early February, Bob Woodward says in new book
President Trump knew in early February the new coronavirus could be airborne and more deadly than the flu but wanted to play down the risk to avoid a panic, according to a forthcoming book by Bob Woodward. Published September 9, 2020
Coronavirus vaccine will be safe, or ‘it won’t be moved along,’ federal officials say
Top health officials told Congress on Wednesday they will not let politics override science in the push for a coronavirus vaccine, amid fears that campaign pressures are eroding public confidence in the effort. Published September 9, 2020
Nine drug CEOs sign safety pledge on COVID-19 vaccine
Nine drugmakers pledged Tuesday to secure reliable data showing the safety and effectiveness of their coronavirus vaccines before seeking federal approval, hoping to reassure the public as the vaccine race becomes a political football in the homestretch of the 2020 presidential campaign. Published September 8, 2020
Donald Trump, Joe Biden Labor Day messages clash
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden showcased his union support Monday while President Trump touted the rebounding economy, his get-tough policy on China and the rapid development of a coronavirus vaccine as the campaigns sought to woo American workers. Published September 7, 2020
Donald Trump: Says Democrats ‘endangering lives’ by questioning his coronavirus vaccine push
President Trump on Monday repeated his belief there could be a coronavirus vaccine by October and accused his political opponents of "endangering lives" by questioning whether shots approved by his administration would be safe. Published September 7, 2020
Trump ventilator production order creates surplus
The U.S. has donated more than 4,500 ventilators to 27 countries through its global aid agency as part of President Trump's push to make America the "king of ventilators" after a crush of springtime COVID-19 cases led to fears of catastrophic shortages. Published September 6, 2020
Trump: Still looking into Navalny poison case
President Trump said Friday he's tough on Russia but he's still gathering information on what happened to Alexei Navalny, a key opponent of President Vladimir Putin who's reportedly been poisoned. Published September 4, 2020
Trump says vaccine data could be in by October
President Trump said Friday the nation is "rounding the corner" on the coronavirus that's killed over 187,000 in the U.S. and he expects to see results of late-stage vaccine trials as soon as next month. Published September 4, 2020
Donald Trump rejects Atlantic story as ‘fake,’ ‘a disgrace’
President Trump on Friday rejected as "fake" an article in The Atlantic that claims he skipped a visit to an American military cemetery in France in 2018 after calling the World War I dead "losers" for getting killed in battle. Published September 4, 2020
Donald Trump hails deal between Balkans rivals Serbia, Kosovo
President Trump hailed the peacemaking powers of economics Friday as he presided over the White House signing of a deal between leaders from Serbia and Kosovo. Published September 4, 2020
