By Hanna Park
(NEW YORK) Former President Donald Trump has been sued by a civil rights group for calling COVID-19 the “China virus” last year, allegedly fueling the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes across the U.S., The Hill reported Friday.
The federal complaint by the Chinese Americans Civil Rights Coalition (CARC) alleges that Trump’s use of the derogatory phrase contributed to the rise in violence against the Asian American community, TMZ first reported.
The lawsuit states, Trump’s “extreme and outrageous conduct was carried out throughout the pandemic with reckless disregard of whether such conduct would cause Chinese Americans to suffer emotional distress.”
Trump and his allies repeatedly used the term “Chinese virus” and similar terms, such as “kung flu,” in the early months of the pandemic, as the virus was initially detected in Wuhan, China.
Trump has defended his use of the term, saying, “it comes from China, that's why. I want to be accurate.”
But the origins of COVID-19 remain unclear, the lawsuit states.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser for Trump, told The Hill, "This is an insane and idiotic lawsuit that is specious at best, and it will be dismissed if it ever sees a courtroom."
In March, photos of Trump’s notes during a press briefing went viral after it showed the word “Corona” was crossed out and replaced with “Chinese.”
Multiple studies have shown that the phrase “China virus” coincided with a surge in attacks and harassment against Asian Americans within the last year.
The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism published data indicating that anti-Asian hate crimes surged by 149%, despite overall hate crimes reportedly dropping by 7% in 2020.
Stop AAPI Hate, a reporting center that tracks hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders said in a report published in March that it has received nearly 3,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate crimes from March 2020 to February 2021.
CACRC is asking for $1 for every Asian American and Pacific Islander in the U.S., which would total $22.9 million. The plaintiffs said they would use the money to establish a museum that would showcase the history and accomplishments of the AAPI community in the U.S.
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