Trump is a pathological liar and should be held accountable at every opportunity but … on this subject here’s his original statement:
“Some people would like to see New York quarantined because it’s a hot spot. […] New York, New Jersey, maybe one or two other places, certain parts of Connecticut quarantined. I’m thinking about that right now. […] I would rather not do it but we may need it,” he said.
One can accuse him of “floating” an idea – politicians of all stripes do this all the time – but note that he was careful enough to include some qualifications.
In any event, the idea was questionable, to say the least, so I’m glad he has “backed off.”