Trump defends his administration, says it was prepared for pandemics

(CNN) https://livestream.com/accounts/25723746/events/8522569/videos/203959357

When asked by CNN’s Jim Acosta about the level of preparedness for a pandemic like Covid-19, President Trump said while he knew pandemics were “one of the worst things that could happen ... most people thought it wouldn’t and most people didn’t understand the severity of it.”

Trump was responding to Acosta's question about Department of Health and Human Services Sec. Alex Azar saying in April 2019 that a “pandemic flu” is what kept him up most at night.

Trump said he didn't think Azar “was speaking about a specific pandemic,” adding, “I always knew that pandemics are one of the worst things that could happen.”

“Most people thought it wouldn’t and most people didn’t understand the severity of it,” Trump said. “I assume he was talking about the possibility.”

When pressed by Acosta on why the administration doesn’t have enough PPE supplies, Trump blamed it on previous administration, and once again repeated the false claim that the Obama administration left the military with no ammunition.