---
title: "A Brief List of Trump’s Broken Coronavirus Promises"
description: "When he declared a national emergency on March 13, Trump made a lot of grand promises. One month later, most have been broken."
date: "2020-04-13"
modified: "2020-04-13"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/list-trumps-broken-coronavirus-promises"
categories:
  - "Developments"
  - "Health & Medicine"
  - "Medical"
  - "Pathogens"
  - "Viruses"
tags:
  - "coronavirus"
  - "covid19"
  - "medicine"
  - "trump"
---

# A Brief List of Trump’s Broken Coronavirus Promises

![When he declared a national emergency on March 13, Trump made a lot of grand promises. One month later, most have been broken.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/list-trumps-broken-coronavirus-promises.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Gage Skidmore\</em\>*

On March 13, U.S. President Donald Trump [declared a national emergency](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/united-states-declares-state-emergency-coronavirus>) because of the coronavirus pandemic and promised broad, sweeping action to rapidly distribute tests and treatments.

One month later, little of that has happened. Meanwhile, the American COVID-19 death toll continues to climb upward and not only has the promised medical testing not arrived, but the government may actually [reduce its response efforts](<https://futurism.com/feds-end-support-coronavirus-testing-sites>).

During his emergency declaration, which many [described](<https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-coronavirus-press-conference-today-handshake-ceos-covid-19-emergency-a9401741.html>) as [a bizarre infomercial](<https://twitter.com/brianstelter/status/1249454544909631491?s=19>) for corporations including Roche Diagnostics and Target, Trump announced a close public-private partnership to mobilize against the outbreak. Here's some of what he promised compared to what actually happened, [as reported by *NPR*](<https://www.npr.org/2020/04/13/832797592/a-month-after-emergency-declaration-trumps-promises-largely-unfulfilled>).

**Promise**: Google will develop a website to help people across America screen for COVID-19 symptoms from home.

**Reality**: Google never created such a site. But Verily, owned by the same parent company as Google, did roll out screening and testing sites in five California counties.

**Promise**: Drive-through coronavirus testing in the parking lots of major retailors like CVS and Target.

**Reality**: Target never entered a formal partnership with the government. CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens opened a total of eight sites, combined, across the entire country.

**Promise**: The healthcare company LHC Group would provide equipment to let people who think they're sick get tested at home.

**Reality**: LHC Group told *NPR* that it hasn't rolled out home testing, but that it has spent the past month trying to get protective equipment for its medical workers.

**Promise**: Trump said he would waive license requirements to let doctors practice in states that need more hands on deck.

**Reality**: Medical licenses are issued by the state, so Trump couldn't have followed through on this promise if he tried.

Meanwhile, what success America has encountered thus far stems from [everyday people doing their part](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/good-news-social-distancing-working>): staying home as much as possible, and keeping their distance from others when they have to venture outside.

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)