AP FACT CHECK: Trump myths on new jobs, airport virus tests

AP FACT CHECK: Trump myths on new jobs, airport virus tests

SeattlePI.com

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Defending his administration’s response to the coronavirus, President Donald Trump falsely asserted that travelers at U.S. airports are being routinely tested for COVID-19, made groundless accusations against a government watchdog and wrongly claimed the Obama administration did nothing during a flu pandemic.

Meanwhile, with many businesses shuttered during the outbreak, Trump claimed his daughter Ivanka created over 15 million jobs for the U.S. That’s a complete illusion.

A look at some of his claims:

ECONOMY

TRUMP, with his daughter Ivanka in the Roosevelt Room of the White House: “She created over 15 million jobs.” — speaking Tuesday with bankers via video conference about virus aid for small businesses.

THE FACTS: That's nowhere near reality. Before the coronavirus became widespread, less than half that many jobs were added to the entire U.S. workforce during Trump’s presidency, and his daughter was not responsible for them. Now, with nearly 10 million people seeking unemployment benefits in just the past two weeks, those jobs have all been lost. Most economists forecast the unemployment rate will jump to 10% or higher in early May.

The president is referring to a White House initiative led by Ivanka Trump that has garnered nonbinding commitments from companies to provide 14 million or so training opportunities in the years ahead. Training for a job is not working at a job for money.

There’s no telling how many workers were already going to be trained, absent the initiative. In many cases, the pledge simply confers a presidential seal of approval on what some companies are doing anyway. By having companies sign the pledge, the administration is relying on the private sector to take on more of the financial burden of training...

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