Chinese American group sues Trump for calling COVID ‘China virus’

The group said the former president’s statements have led to an increase in acts of violence against Asian Americans.

Former United States President Donald Trump is being sued by a Chinese American civil rights group over his use of the terms “Chinese virus”, “Wuhan virus” and “Kung Flu virus” during the coronavirus pandemic. According to court documents (PDF) posted online, the Chinese Americans Civil Rights Coalition, a nonprofit organisation based in New York, filed the lawsuit against Trump on Thursday. According to the suit, Trump’s statements during speeches and his postings on social media during the pandemic caused Chinese and Asian Americans “emotional distress” and led to an uptick in racially motivated violence against these communities across the country.