The following individuals and groups, who have historically focused on denying or downplaying the risk of man-made global warming, have turned their attention to the COVID-19 crisis. In many cases, they have used their platforms to promote viewpoints counter to the available evidence understood by medical science about the severity of coronavirus and methods to mitigate its spread.

This set of examples looks at the shift in terminology used to refer to the virus, as the “China Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” or “Foreign Virus,” some phrases which were later picked up by President Trump. Examples also include any cases of using the virus as justification for imposing further restrictions on immigration or specific races.

*Please note that automatic transcripts were generated for some of the video materials, and while we have reviewed the transcripts, there may still be errors. Contact DeSmog if you notice any errors and we will address them as soon as possible.*

These examples are taken out of a larger body of evidence DeSmog has gathered on COVID denial.

CFACT

Kenneth Green. “COVID19 lessons: More ways to govern, work and live smarter,” CFACT, April 7.

Still another optimistic thought (though admittedly, a mixed bag from the libertarian perspective) is that the war over border walls has probably just about died. It’s like an old joke: Anti-wall Bob tells his friend Jim that he’s terrified of infectious hordes from abroad coming into his country. Pro-wall Jim says, “Quick, close the gates in the border wall!” Anti-wall Bob yells, “What gates, in what wall?” Pro-wall Jim looks at him and says… “Ah-hah!”

Charlie Kirk

Trump retweeted Charlie Kirk on the term “Chinese Coronavirus” according to Axios.

James A Peden

Manhattan Institute

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Guy Sorman. “You, Xi,” City Journal (Manhattan Institute publication)

I hold Xi Jinping guilty of starting the coronavirus pandemic, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has now caused thousands of deaths around the world and an economic recession that will ravage all of us for years. My accusation is well-founded and well-documented. “

[…]

Beyond such changes in economic strategy, which call for a new form of globalization, it is high time to denounce the threat posed by Xi and the Communist Party. Like useful idiots, we have not only helped the Party prosper but, even worse, we have given up on our humanitarian, democratic, and spiritual values in doing so. 

John Hindraker

“Wuhan Virus: It’s No Coincidence,” Power Line, March 18

President Trump has often referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus,” to the dismay of many liberals. But the fact that the virus came from China is no coincidence. On the contrary, it was the inevitable result of practices that are specific to that country.

Steve Milloy

Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)

“The Latest on COVID-19 Suggests Most Of US Will Be Fine,” Texas Public Policy Foundation (Originally published at The Federalist)

The Communist regime shows no sign of turning away from the contention that the United States purposefully infected China. This is why President Trump pointedly called the coronavirus the ‘Chinese virus.’

The People’s Republic of China’s burgeoning line of disinformation accusing the United States of being the origin of the deadly virus could be a casus belli. Lies often create a terrible logic of their own. Beijing’s lies have amplified the virus’ suffering and death and may, in their own right, prove far deadlier than the virus that emerged out of Wuhan.