US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he now believes as many as 100,000 Americans could die in the coronavirus pandemic, after the death toll passed his earlier estimates, but said he was confident a vaccine would be developed by the year’s end.
HE SHIFTS ESTIMATED US CORONAVIRUS DEATH TOLL
Trump alternated during a two-hour virtual town hall broadcast by FOX News between forecasting a rapid recovery for the US economy and casting blame for the pandemic’s spread on China, where the disease is believed to have originated.
Trump says 100,000 Americans may die from coronavirus WATCH
“We’re going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people. That’s a horrible thing,” said Trump, who as recently on Friday had said he hoped fewer than 100,000 Americans would die and earlier in the week had talked about 60,000 to 70,000 deaths.
“I think we’re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year. The doctors would say, well you shouldn’t say that,” Trump added. “I’ll say what I think … I think we’ll have a vaccine sooner than later.”