Republican senator shamelessly defends Trump despite saying Obama had 'failed' over just two Ebola deaths

Republican senator Joni Ernst has refused to label Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as a failure, despite previously saying Obama’s record on ebola showed “failed leadership”.

Speaking on the ebola outbreak that first started in Africa in 2013, which saw two people die across the US, the Senator for Iowa stated in 2014:

This is, again, a huge tragedy out there but, again, we’re seeing failed leadership coming from the congressmen, from President Obama. We have seen the threat from ebola for the past several months and only today did they call a hearing to address the lack of leadership within the departments out there.

We should’ve moved this up. We should’ve been looking at travel bans much earlier than this – before it ever came onto American shores.

But when asked about these previous comments by CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday morning, Ernst wasn’t too keen on calling Trump’s handling of coronavirus “failed leadership”.

This is despite 132,335 deaths in the US – that’s 132,333 more than ebola – from Covid-19 in the past six months alone, at the time of writing.

Initially dodging the CNN host’s direct question, the Republican discussed our collective “responsibility of stopping the spread” of coronavirus and the importance of wearing a mask – perhaps she should try to tell Trump that – so Bash re-asked:

Is the president right now exhibiting failed leadership?

Ernst responded:

No. I think that the president is stepping forward…

She went on to discuss the efforts of VP Mike Pence in spearheading the task force effort on coronavirus and the push back Trump got after trying to “shut down travel” from hotpots.

Want to see just how badly Donald Trump has failed in handling the coronavirus pandemic in the US, compared to other world leaders?

This three minute montage pairs footage of Trump throughout the crisis with that of his peers, such as Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau.

Still think Trump's leadership hasn't "failed", Senator Joni Ernst?