Nothing represents success and progress like death

For reference the graph used by Trump in his 18 Apr 2020 briefing. 

Graphics have been used since their creation to manipulate information for both good and bad. There is a famous book, How to Lie with Statistics [1954] by Darrell Huff, but we'll be generous and say that Mr. Trump has misrepresented the facts rather that lied. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths worldwide per one million population as of May 21, 2020 in order of decreasing number of deaths.

Rank  Country         Deaths per million

143    Belgium                  801.08               [HIGHEST = WORST!]

142    Spain                     596.87

141    United Kingdom     536.99

140    Italy                        534.99

139    France                   419.44

138    Sweden                 376.21

137    Netherlands           333.58

136    Ireland                   323.68

135    United States         285.18

134    Switzerland            222.16

133    Ecuador                 169.04

132    Canada                  165.95

131    Portugal                 122.84

130    Germany                 98.54

129    Denmark                 95.56

128    Peru                        94.53

127    Brazil                      90.03

76      Japan                       6.09                   [MUCH LOWER!]

67      South Korea             5.11

60      New Zealand            4.3

56      Australia                    4  

2        Madagascar                0.08

1         Ethiopia                      0.05                [LOWEST = BEST!]

First off let's be clear the counties at the top have the WORSE numbers.  The bottom of the barrel so to speak or bottom of the chart not the top as shown in Trump's chart [misleading representation].  The data was extracted from a table with 143 entries.  The USA being 135 out of 143 counties in the world.  Therefore 134 counties of the world currently have less death from Coronavirus than the USA.  Let me repeat all the counties in the world but 8 [eight] are experiencing less death that the USA.  So the USA is at the bottom of the bottom and is not doing "tremendous " as Trump would like you to believe.  As I will expand on later there are reasons for these high numbers.

One of the things Trump really likes to do is to self-congratulate himself.  Another thing is to state that the USA is doing just as good as Germany.  Why he likes Germany so much I do not know BUT if we look at the actual number for the United States which is 285 deaths per one million population where as Germany has 98 deaths per one million population it is easy to see that this is blatantly untrue.  285 is not equal to 98 it's simple math.  Even if we use Trump's own chart provide above 11.24 is not equal to 5.24. 

"If you look at the death, relatively speaking, we’re at the lowest level along with Germany."  Trump 20 May 2020 [Totally misrepresenting their ranking of 135 and 130 in the world in deaths of which there is nothing LOW about either counties number - spinning it]

Now remember these are the counties doing the worst in the world.  But even so Trump says we're doing just as well as Germany.  Using his own briefing data an individual in the USA is twice as likely to die of coronavirus as in Germany.  How is that the same because actually it's much worse.  If you knew that you were twice (2 times) as likely to die from something which would you rather do the one your less likely to die from of course. [Misrepresentation again]

Now looking at the current data which Trump spins as he's doing a fantastic job it is even worse.  He is doing a dismal job you are now almost 3 times more likely to die in the USA from coronavirus than in Germany.  THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE IN THE USA.  That is not almost or even close to being the same. 

"On a per capita basis, our mortality rate is far lower than other nations of Western Europe, with the lone exception of possibly Germany. This includes the UK, Switzerland, Belguim, the Netherlands, Italy, France. Spain, for example, has a mortality rate that is nearly four times that of the United States, but you don't hear that. You hear we have more death." Trump April 18 2020  [Spin it - they are doing horrible but I'm doing great job]

Trump like to pick on Belgium.  Lets exam why Belgium and some of the other Western Europe death rates are higher that the USA. 

Population density!

Population density (people per sq. km of Land area).  Densest listed first with reducing density as you go down the list for the counties listed below.

1  Netherlands

2  Belgium

3  United Kingdom

4  Germany

5  Italy

6  France

7  Spain

8  United States

Most of the counties on the chart with more deaths have denser populations than the USA!

TESTING!!!!!

"Because we are doing an incredible job of testing. We are doing a better job than anybody in the world right now on testing. There's nobody close. And other nations admit this." Trump 6 Apr 2020

"Nobody has done the job on testing like we have."  Trump 21 May 2020 

"You know when you say that we lead in cases, that's because we have more testing than anybody else."  Trump 19 May 2020

Once again misrepresenting the truth to spin what a great job he is doing rather the true nature of his actual failure.  Sure the USA does the highest number of tests but NOT for the size of the population.  The USA does not lead in cases or deaths because we do the most testing we lead because of horrific mismanagement.  IF we look at the testing per million population it tells a TOTALLY different story than the USA is "doing an incredible job of testing." Trump 6 Apr 2020

Testing done per million Population  20 May 2020

Spain              64977

Portugal          64939

Belgium          62175

Italy                51338

UK                  40866

Switzerland    40486

USA                38234

For Belgium which has the highest number of deaths it is actually doing over one and a half times more testing than the USA for the amount of population it has.  IF the USA actually did that much testing it would most probably lead the world in deaths but it does not do nearly that much testing.  But Trump has said that even with the limited testing USA is doing, "doing all of this testing, we make ourselves look bad."  (6 May 2020) and if there is one thing Trump does not want to do is look bad.  So naturally the countries testing WAY more than the USA would most probably have higher numbers and they test a LOT more that the USA for the amount of population they have. 

You might ask about some of the countries that also have high death rates but also low testing for the population.  I would say they are doing just as crappy a job as the USA.  That their leadership is just as guilty of mismanagement as Trump. 

One last thing,Trump always talks about the great job the USA is doing which has been basically been shown to be false. The USA is doing the 135 worst job in the world led by Mr. Trump. I have included several countries that are actually doing a MUCH better job controlling the pandemic than the USA and many other counties as well.  

Coronavirus (COVID-19) death per one million population as of May 21, 2020

Japan                                 6.09

South Korea                       5.11

New Zealand                      4.3

Australia                             4   

Now compare them to the United States with 285 deaths per million population.  Of course this is currently and will change with time. 

You are 47 times more likely to die in USA from Coronavirus that in Japan.

You are 55 times more likely to die in USA from Coronavirus that in South Korea.

You are 66 times more likely to die in USA from Coronavirus that in New Zealand

You are 71 times more likely to die in USA from Coronavirus that in Australia

Yet Trump promotes himself as doing a great job. Remember the USA is at the BOTTOM.  BOTTOM!  You are more likely to die in the USA than in 134 others countries in the world.  But that is not what Trump wants you to believe.  He's doing a great job! 

96 THOUSAND died (22 May 2020) in the USA but he's doing a great job!  Trump stated it is a Badge of Honor (19 May 2020) and many more are going to be given badges in the future under his leadership which of course he will blame on someone or something else as he always does.  Now He is good at that.  “Coronavirus numbers are looking MUCH better, going down almost everywhere,” “Big progress being made!” 11 May 2020   22 THOUSAND more dead since he made that statement.  Big progress?

Death in America but opening for business.  Open the churches.  Open the schools.  "The cure can't be worse than the problem itself." Right? I started by saying that and I continue to say it: The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself. We've got to get our country open...."  Trump  4 Apr 2020

“I don’t take responsibility at all,” President Trump 13 March 2020