Trump points at race protests, bar-goers, Mexico travellers for surge in COVID cases

President Donald Trump is casting wide blame for a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases, pointing to racial justice protests, travelers from Mexico and young bar-goers. Further, he says, “Young people closely congregating at bars and probably other places, maybe beaches,” likely also led to new cases. Trump also blames travelers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border for spikes, saying cases in Mexico are surging..

President Donald Trump is casting wide blame for a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases, pointing to racial justice protests, travelers from Mexico, and young bar-goers. Holding his second briefing on the virus in as many days after a three-month hiatus, Trump sought on Wednesday to explain the rise in confirmed cases across the nation's South, Southwest, and West.

Trump says cases among young Americans first started to rise "shortly after demonstrations." He says the protests following the death of George Floyd "presumably triggered a broader relaxation of mitigation efforts nationwide." He also says a "substantial increase in travel" around Memorial Day and summer vacations was also a driver of new cases. Further, he says, "Young people closely congregating at bars and probably other places, maybe beaches," likely also led to new cases.

Trump also blames travelers crossing the U.S.-Mexico border for spikes, saying cases in Mexico are surging.