Former US President Barack Obama has described the Donald Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as ‘an absolute chaotic disaster.’
While Obama did not lash out publicly at the Trump administration, recently, the contents of a private call, as reported by Yahoo News, revealed the former leader’s disappointment in the present affairs of the state.
The United States leads the world in the number of coronavirus cases, at nearly 1.3 million, and 78,000 deaths. The pandemic has decimated the US economy, sending 33 million people to apply for unemployment dole.
Trump has been criticised for the way he has dealt with one of US’ worst crises in a century, as he has pushed states to manage the situation on their own while hard pressed for medical equipment.
Critics have slammed Trump for first downplaying the threat posed by the virus, and not making enough arrangements to stock up on testing kits and devising a strategy to tackle the pandemic.
‘Battle Against Not Just a Particular Individual or a Political Party’
The US presidential elections are scheduled to be held in November 2020. In a tape obtained by Yahoo News, Obama is heard talking to 3,000 members of the Obama Alumni Association who had served in his administration.
He reportedly urged his supporters to extend support to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who is trying to unseat Trump.
“This election that's coming up on every level is so important because what we're going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party. What we're fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided and seeing others as an enemy – that has become a stronger impulse in American life. And by the way, we're seeing that internationally as well,” Obama was cited as saying in the private call according to Yahoo News.
‘Rule of Law is At Risk’
Obama is heard saying how the ‘basic understanding of the rule of law is at risk.’
He expressed shock at how the news about the Justice Department dropping charges against Michael Flynn had been downplayed.
“And the fact that there is no precedent that anybody can find for someone who has been charged with perjury just getting off scot-free. And when you start moving in those directions, it can accelerate pretty quickly as we’ve seen in other places,” Obama was cited as saying in the private call according to Yahoo News.
He urged everyone to sense the urgency of the situation and said though he is not on the ballot, he is ‘pretty darn invested. We got to make this happen.’
Flynn was an essential link in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling the 2016 US election.
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