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| Coronavirus US live: Trump says 'we have to get back to work' as number of US deaths rises | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The president says he’d like the US to return to normal by Easter, which is 12 April, following WHO prediction that US would soon be center of pandemic | The president says he’d like the US to return to normal by Easter, which is 12 April, following WHO prediction that US would soon be center of pandemic |
| A number of lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, are cautioning against Donald Trump’s calls to ease restrictions on businesses to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. It’s a rare moment of bipartisan agreement. | |
| Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney tweeted: | |
| Similarly South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham tweeted: | |
| Those tweets are similar to an argument House speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top congressional Democrat, made, per Politico’s Kyle Cheney: | |
| Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, congressional negotiators say they’re close to a deal on a stimulus package. The bolded sentence is my doing. Here’s The Wall Street Journal’s report: | |
| Remember, the major flashpoint was the industry assistance loans. Republicans had a field day on Monday after Democrats blocked passage of a stimulus bill over gripes about that loan fund. Now it seems that flashpoint is fading away. | |
| Keep in mind this is Congress and nothing is over the finish line until it’s over the finish line but it still appears that things haven’t fallen apart yet. | |
| Trump himself, in that town hall, sounded optimistic about a deal as well. | |
| A note on Trump’s comment earlier about how Joe Biden criticized him on his decision to “close off China.” | A note on Trump’s comment earlier about how Joe Biden criticized him on his decision to “close off China.” |
| Trump, as a reminder from earlier in this virtual town hall, said “That was weeks early, and honestly I took a lot of heat. Sleepy Joe Biden said it’s xenophobic, I don’t know if he knows what that means but that’s OK. He said it’s racist what I did.” | Trump, as a reminder from earlier in this virtual town hall, said “That was weeks early, and honestly I took a lot of heat. Sleepy Joe Biden said it’s xenophobic, I don’t know if he knows what that means but that’s OK. He said it’s racist what I did.” |
| But as Bloomberg’s Tyler Pager notes, that’s not quite true: | But as Bloomberg’s Tyler Pager notes, that’s not quite true: |
| Trump was asked how he’s doing dealing with the country’s governors through this crisis, especially the Democratic governors. | Trump was asked how he’s doing dealing with the country’s governors through this crisis, especially the Democratic governors. |
| All is well, Trump said, citing California governor Gavin Newsom. | All is well, Trump said, citing California governor Gavin Newsom. |
| “Governor Newsom and I have been getting along,” Trump said. “We’re speaking to each other, whether it’s conference calls.” | “Governor Newsom and I have been getting along,” Trump said. “We’re speaking to each other, whether it’s conference calls.” |
| But Trump added that it has to be a mutually friendly relationship. | But Trump added that it has to be a mutually friendly relationship. |
| “It’s a two way street. They have to treat us well also,” Trump said. Trump went on to point, once again, to New York governor Andrew Cuomo saying earlier today that the Trump administration had not provided the necessary amount of ventilators to his state. | “It’s a two way street. They have to treat us well also,” Trump said. Trump went on to point, once again, to New York governor Andrew Cuomo saying earlier today that the Trump administration had not provided the necessary amount of ventilators to his state. |
| Fox News’ Bill Hemmer pressed Trump on reopening the country by Easter, just 19 days away. | Fox News’ Bill Hemmer pressed Trump on reopening the country by Easter, just 19 days away. |
| Trump doubled down. | Trump doubled down. |
| “I think it’s possible. Why isn’t it? We’ve never controlled the country before and we’ve had some flus and some viruses. I think it’s absolutely possible,” Trump said. “We have to get our country back to work. Our country wants to go back to work.” | “I think it’s possible. Why isn’t it? We’ve never controlled the country before and we’ve had some flus and some viruses. I think it’s absolutely possible,” Trump said. “We have to get our country back to work. Our country wants to go back to work.” |
| Trump added that social distancing and precautionary hand washing will still have to be done. | Trump added that social distancing and precautionary hand washing will still have to be done. |
| At moments Trump has expressed a sense of urgency about “reopening” the country despite concerns and cautionary statements from some health officials. | At moments Trump has expressed a sense of urgency about “reopening” the country despite concerns and cautionary statements from some health officials. |
| “If we delay this thing out you’re going to lose more people than with the situation as we know it. So I think it’s very important for the country to go back,” Trump added. “Otherwise it’s going to be very hard to start it up again.” | “If we delay this thing out you’re going to lose more people than with the situation as we know it. So I think it’s very important for the country to go back,” Trump added. “Otherwise it’s going to be very hard to start it up again.” |
| The Guardian’s Lois Beckett reported last night as this theme came through strongly in the Monday White House press briefing. | The Guardian’s Lois Beckett reported last night as this theme came through strongly in the Monday White House press briefing. |
| Harvard University president Larry Bacow has announced in a statement that he and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. “We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home,” it reads. “This virus can lay anyone low. We all need to be vigilant and keep following guidelines to limit our contact with others.” | Harvard University president Larry Bacow has announced in a statement that he and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. “We will be taking the time we need to rest and recuperate during a two-week isolation at home,” it reads. “This virus can lay anyone low. We all need to be vigilant and keep following guidelines to limit our contact with others.” |
| Because of the coronavirus epidemic Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has enjoyed an increased national presence. He has accompanied Trump and other top administration officials at coronavirus briefings. | Because of the coronavirus epidemic Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has enjoyed an increased national presence. He has accompanied Trump and other top administration officials at coronavirus briefings. |
| There have been reports that Trump has started to get tired of Fauci’s elevated stature. At moments he has undercut the president’s statements. But asked about Fauci today Trump said their relationship is strong. | There have been reports that Trump has started to get tired of Fauci’s elevated stature. At moments he has undercut the president’s statements. But asked about Fauci today Trump said their relationship is strong. |
| “Because he has other things to do. We get along very well,” Trump said. “I think it’s very good. You would’ve heard about it if it wasn’t. | “Because he has other things to do. We get along very well,” Trump said. “I think it’s very good. You would’ve heard about it if it wasn’t. |
| Trump: I’d love to have the country open by April 12th | Trump: I’d love to have the country open by April 12th |
| Trump just now said he would like to have the country back to normal and “open” by Easter. That’s April 12, less than a month away. | Trump just now said he would like to have the country back to normal and “open” by Easter. That’s April 12, less than a month away. |
| “I would love to have it open by Easter. I would love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” | “I would love to have it open by Easter. I would love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” |
| It wasn’t quite a critique but Trump just shot back at Cuomo about ventilators. | It wasn’t quite a critique but Trump just shot back at Cuomo about ventilators. |
| Earlier today Cuomo said he was not getting enough ventilators to keep up with the pandemic curve. Trump and Cuomo have built a fairly cordial and friendly relationship as they’ve kept in touch though the pandemic crisis. But just now at this virtual town hall Trump said Cuomo “should’ve ordered the ventilators.” | Earlier today Cuomo said he was not getting enough ventilators to keep up with the pandemic curve. Trump and Cuomo have built a fairly cordial and friendly relationship as they’ve kept in touch though the pandemic crisis. But just now at this virtual town hall Trump said Cuomo “should’ve ordered the ventilators.” |
| “He had a chance in 2016 to buy 16,000 at a very low price and he didn’t do that,” Trump said as he looked at one of the papers he brought out to the town hall. | “He had a chance in 2016 to buy 16,000 at a very low price and he didn’t do that,” Trump said as he looked at one of the papers he brought out to the town hall. |
| The president is refraining on laying blame on himself or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in handling the coronoavirus epidemic. He said neither his administration or the CDC is to blame. | The president is refraining on laying blame on himself or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in handling the coronoavirus epidemic. He said neither his administration or the CDC is to blame. |
| “We did not screw up. I don’t think CDC screwed up either,” Trump said. “I don’t think – in all fairness to CDC. Nobody ever expected a thing like this. Nobody expected that millions and millions of people would have to be tested.” | “We did not screw up. I don’t think CDC screwed up either,” Trump said. “I don’t think – in all fairness to CDC. Nobody ever expected a thing like this. Nobody expected that millions and millions of people would have to be tested.” |
| For days the sticking point for Democrats in the stimulus package negotiations was a $500bn fund for businesses. Democrats called it a “slush fund” because, they argued, it lacked sufficient oversight. In a press conference on Monday he said that he would provide the oversight. | For days the sticking point for Democrats in the stimulus package negotiations was a $500bn fund for businesses. Democrats called it a “slush fund” because, they argued, it lacked sufficient oversight. In a press conference on Monday he said that he would provide the oversight. |
| During this virtual town hall Trump stressed that the economic stimulus package would focus on helping both large and small businesses through the coronavirus crisis. | During this virtual town hall Trump stressed that the economic stimulus package would focus on helping both large and small businesses through the coronavirus crisis. |
| “The bill is very much focused on the small business person,” Trump said. “You add them all up and the small businesses are just about equal in size. This bill is absolutely aimed at the small business and the worker. The owners are going to need some help, they’re going to need some loans. I’m going to take care of them.” | “The bill is very much focused on the small business person,” Trump said. “You add them all up and the small businesses are just about equal in size. This bill is absolutely aimed at the small business and the worker. The owners are going to need some help, they’re going to need some loans. I’m going to take care of them.” |
| Just now Trump signaled a new openness to signing off what seems like an imminent deal between lawmakers on a $1.6 trillion economic stimulus package. | Just now Trump signaled a new openness to signing off what seems like an imminent deal between lawmakers on a $1.6 trillion economic stimulus package. |
| “They had things that are in there that are terrible. A lot of problems and I said I’m not signing this bill. Now they’ve renegotiated,” Trump said. | “They had things that are in there that are terrible. A lot of problems and I said I’m not signing this bill. Now they’ve renegotiated,” Trump said. |
| That’s a flip from late Monday night when Trump was tweeting opposition to sticking points by Democrats in the negotiations. | That’s a flip from late Monday night when Trump was tweeting opposition to sticking points by Democrats in the negotiations. |