There are two things dominating the news cycle right now: COVID-19 and Donald Trump. The president revealed on Thursday night that he and his wife Melania Trump have been diagnosed with coronavirus, following the news that his top aide Hope Hicks tested positive on Wednesday. So Friday’s release of the trailer for Totally Under Control, a new documentary featuring scientists, medical professionals, and other government officials excoriating the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, could not be more timely.
Totally Under Control, co-directed by Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Suzanne Hillinger, was filmed in secret over the last few months. In the trailer, several officials can be seen unmasking themselves to speak out about their observations of the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response.
“We the scientists knew what to do for the pandemic response. The plan was in front of us, but leadership would not do it. It is time to lay our careers on the line and push back,” says Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. “The scientists sounded the alarm every day. The U.S. government was doing nothing… I decided to break protocol.”
Bright previously filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that he was demoted from a top position in the Department of Health and Human Services in April for speaking out against the administration’s response. He testified before Congress in May.
“The truth is that political leaders caused avoidable death and destruction,” another official says in the preview.
Totally Under Control‘s title stems from Trump’s own claim about the disease in January, shortly before he reportedly privately told Bob Woodward that he knew the virus was “deadly stuff” while continuing to mislead the public about the dangers of the pandemic.
To date, more than 7 million Americans, including the Trumps, have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The disease has killed more than 208,000 Americans.
Totally Under Control will be released on-demand Tuesday, Oct. 13 and then on Hulu Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Donald Trump
Source : TVGuide
