and it only gets worse [verbatim]

“With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible. The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion. If we cannot trust them, if this is what we will receive from the WHO, our country will be forced to find other ways to work with other nations to achieve public health goals.” DT, 14 April

“It is also not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.” Antonio Guterres, 14 April

“The president of the United States calls the shots. [State governors] can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States. When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total.” DT, 13 April

“…the US Treasury has ordered Donald Trump’s name be printed on cheques to be sent to tens of millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus outbreak, a decision that will slow their delivery by several days.” The Washington Post, 15 April

“Very simple. If [both chambers of Congress] don’t act on getting these people approved that we need – we need them anyway, but we especially need them now because of the pandemic – we are going to do something that will be … something I’d prefer not doing, but which I should do and I will do if have to.” DT, 16 April

““It is vital to avoid the collapse of any country’s medical system – given the explosive impact that will have on death, suffering and wider contagion. At this crucial time, both for global public health reasons, and to support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended. In a context of global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, 24 March

and it only gets worse [verbatim]

“Iran is facing a catastrophic toll from the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. sanctions should not be contributing to this humanitarian disaster. As a caring nation, we must lift any sanctions hurting Iran’s ability to address this crisis, including financial sanctions.” Bernie Sanders, 20 March

“The whole world should know that humanitarian assistance to Iran is wide open, it’s not sanctioned (…) The Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice,” Mike Pompeo, 20 March

“Expelling Médecins sans Frontières [from installing a  field hospital in Isfahan] will be a decision based on wisdom because their presence is a cover for non-humanitarian activities. As France has in practice repeatedly proven its enmity against Iran, the question is why our officials allowed the group to enter in the first place,” he said, describing the permit as “dangerous recklessness.” Hossein Shariatmadari, 24 March

“We lose thousands of people a year to the flu. We never turn the country off. We lose thousands of people per year to automobile accidents.” DT, 24 March

“The economic sanctions are working. If we didn’t have these sanctions in place, literally Iran would have tens of billions of dollars. They would be using that for terrorist activities throughout the region. There is no question that by cutting off the economics to the regime we are having an impact” Stephen Mnuchin, 10 Jan

“…we have [the coronavirus pandemics] totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine..” DT, 22 Jan

“I think the numbers are going to get progressively better as we go along.” DT, 18 Feb

“I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.” DT, 9 March