Downplays [verb]

That included participating in Pence’s infamous Wall Street Journal op-ed in June downplaying the idea of a coronavirus second wave — even as the outbreak was indeed resurging across the country.

At the time, the president was publicly downplaying the virus’s impact.

Rather than level with the American people back in February and March about the severity of what was coming our way, he downplayed coronavirus, called it a “hoax” and ridiculously said it would “go away like a miracle.”

For years, the league had downplayed or outright denied the link between football and brain injury.

It also wants the updated law to retain the general prohibition on content monitoring obligations — and downplays the potential of AI to offer any “third way” there.

Typically, he’s given a pass, his flaws downplayed or overlooked.

For months, the WHO had downplayed how long tiny aerosols might remain in the air and infectious.

More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long.