http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/trump-pusa-ad-s5.pngTrump ignored warnings from experts and downplayed the coronavirus. Now he doesn't want voters to hear the truth and is trying to bully TV stations into submission.

Washington, DC - The following is a statement from Priorities USA Chairman Guy Cecil in response to the Trump campaign filing a lawsuit against a local TV station in Wisconsin over the fact that they have continued running a Priorities USA Action ad that uses Donald Trump's own words to show how he downplayed the spread of COVID-19 for months while the number of infected Americans increased exponentially. The ad can be found here.

"This is pretty simple. Donald Trump doesn't want voters to hear the truth and he's trying to bully TV stations into submission. The truth is that Trump ignored warnings from experts and his own team and downplayed the coronavirus even as it spread unchecked across the country and the world. Americans are now suffering as a result of his inaction. We will never stop airing the facts and holding the president accountable for his actions."

Here are a few examples of the widespread news coverage of Trump downplaying the virus:

CBS News: Trump Says Coronavirus “Will Go Away” And Urges Americans To “Just Stay Calm”

New York Times: A Complete List of Trump’s Attempts to Play Down Coronavirus

Politico: Trump Rallies His Base To Treat Coronavirus As A “Hoax”

CNBC: Trump dismissed coronavirus pandemic worry in January — now claims he long warned about it

CNN: Fact check: Trump tries to erase the memory of him downplaying the coronavirus

Vox: Trump spent weeks downplaying the coronavirus. He’s now pretending that never happened.

Vox: “I don’t take responsibility at all”: Trump continues downplaying coronavirus threat

NPR: President Trump Has Consistently Downplayed Threat Of Coronavirus

Washington Post: Inside Trump’s Frantic Attempts To Minimize The Coronavirus Crisis

CNN: Fact check: White House falsely claims the coronavirus has been 'contained' in the US

New York Times: The President Vs. The Experts: How Trump Played Down The Coronavirus

Business Insider: Public health experts warn Trump's history of lying about crises is a 'real problem' as he downplays coronavirus and contradicts the CDC