Trump criticised for three-word answer to cyclospora lettuce incident | indy100

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As an outbreak of cyclospora – a parasite which causes watery diarrhoea and fatigue – continues to make headlines in America, remarks made by US president Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday has sparked fresh criticism of the controversial politician.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine states have been affected by the outbreak, with there being at least 1,947 cases and 98 hospitalisations.

Last Friday, Taylor Fresh Foods issued a recall notice for all iceberg lettuce sourced from Central Mexico due to the potential of it being contaminated with cyclospora.

And in the White House this Friday, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked when it is going to be safe to eat lettuce again, to which Trump replied: “I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it. It’s the first time I’ve been asked that question.

“Well I think what we’re going to do is we’re gonna put a major tariff on Mexico because of the lettuce, and we’re going to put a big tariff on Canada because of the smoke.”

The aforementioned ‘smoke’ refers to smoke from wildfires, with the 80-year-old writing on Truth Social earlier this month that “the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable”.

But the fact that Trump said he ‘doesn’t know’, and hasn’t thought about one of the biggest public health stories at the moment, has sparked fresh criticism of the Republican online:

Former Obama staffer and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor wrote: “This answer from Trump about the Cyclospora outbreak that has now expanded to 9 states should lead every newscast”:

Hawaii senator Brian Schatz reiterated: “He hasn’t thought about it”:

And Arizona senator Ruben Gallego commented: “So a Carbon tax and a Food tax”:

Yikes.

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