The world won't be able to answer questions about preventing another pandemic of the scale of the coronavirus crisis without "real transparency out of China," State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Thursday.
"We know this isn't the first pandemic that the world has ever faced," Ortagus said on Fox News "Fox and Friends." "We have had Ebola. We have had SARS ... we need what Secretary [Mike] Pompeo is calling for: real transparency out of China."
But that fundamental question won't be answered until scientists are allowed into China and until "every theory about how this virus emanated can be thoroughly researched by scientists and by doctors," she said. "This, principally, is why President [Donald] Trump his holding the World Health Organization accountable until we can get to those answers."
She also spoke about Iran's latest military actions, including yet another missile launch on Wednesday.
"Secretary Pompeo said yesterday the president has been very clear with the Department of Defense and Department of State to protect our diplomats, to protect our soldiers," Ortagus said. "We are calling on the world to join us and hold Iran accountable."
The tension comes at a time when at least 17 Iranian senior officials have died of coronavirus, she pointed out.
"Iran is spending their time harassing American ships and launching missiles in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions," she said. "Why don't they take that time and effort and money and actually use it towards their public health ministry to help the people of Iran."
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense has confirmed some of the details behind the launch of a satellite, said Ortagus, and she thinks the world should be "up in arms" about the action.
"While they are simultaneously launching missiles in defiance of national security resolutions they are saying, 'please trust us, let go of sanctions'" said Ortagus. "That's not going to happen. Not in this administration."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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