Senate Republicans are defending Trump after revelations that he told Woodward he intentionally downplayed the coronavirus in order to avoid creating a panic and gave the public a rosy assessment despite what he knew privately

Sen. Thom Tillis, a vulnerable Republican, said he wants to see "the full context" of Trump's comments before fully weighing in. But he added: "When you're in a crisis situation, you have to inform people for their public health but you also don't want to create hysteria.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina, pointed to Feb. 29 comments that Fauci made on the "Today" show where he said that there was "no need" for people to change their lifestyles "at this moment," though Fauci also warned about the threat of "community spread" from coronavirus

“I think it became clear that the human transmission was greater than originally thought," Graham told me

Graham added of Trump: "I don’t think he needs to go on TV and screaming we’re all going to die.”

Asked again if he was OK with Trump admitting that he played down the threat, Graham said: “His actions of shutting the economy down were the right actions. I think the tone during that time sort of spoke for itself. People knew it was serious”

Other Republicans had similar refrains.

"I’d argued since day one that we put this in proper perspective: I have not been in favor of these overall shut downs, have been devastating to the economy, devastating to people's health in other ways," said Sen. Ron Johnson

Johnson added: "It’s been a difficult thing to manage, and I’ve tried not to be critical of any government officials having to make really tough decisions with imperfect information.... So I understand what he's saying. I don't think it's an illegitimate point to make."

McConnell: “I didn’t look at the Woodward book,” saying a question about what Trump said should be posed to the WH. “That’s a question for the White House.” Says he will read it later

Joni Ernst, in a tough race, ignores questions about Trump’s comments to Woodward downplaying the virus.

Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican also in a tough race, also didn’t weigh in when asked to respond to the comments. “Haven’t heard them.”

Susan Collins also wouldn’t take questions about Trump’s comments to Woodward as she left votes on her way to an elevator.