Trump compares Russia's plague silence to Covid, hints at bioweapon possibility

President Donald Trump said the world will "find out soon enough" whether Russia's reported plague outbreak was caused by a bioweapon, while comparing Moscow's "silence" to China's early handling of Covid-19. He spoke at a White House press conference on Wednesday. Trump said the Kremlin has assured him Russian officials "have it under control," but he declined to give a firm answer on the bioweapon question. The outbreak reportedly killed lab worker Darya Shipilova after a test tube broke at an Irkutsk institute, with five hospitals quarantined and over 200 people monitored. Former CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield speculated the plague may have been "manipulated" to resist antibiotics, citing Russian bio-offensive programs. Trump noted China "did not say much" initially about Covid-19, adding Russia is similarly saying little while claiming control.