Trump news – live: Drug taken by president linked to increased risk of death, as poll shows 60 per cent of Americans disapprove of coronavirus response
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Donald Trump today declared churches, synagogues and mosques as essential and ordered governors to reopen them immediately, comparing them to liquor stores and abortion clinics that have been considered essential businesses during the coronavirus lockdowns.
The president said if governors don't do it, here would override them so houses of worship could operate over the Memorial Day weekend. Trump's coronavirus taskforce, meanwhile, said people could go outside and hike or visit the beach to enjoy the long weekend so long as social distancing remained in place.
Going into the weekend, Trump finished up his two-week course of hydroxychloroquine as new research linked the anti-malaria drug to an increased risk of death.
And while his feud with Fox News continued after the network revealed polling that showed Joe Biden ahead by eight points in a nationwide match-up, tensions warmed somewhat as both the president and the cable network revealed in the criticism of the former vice president's viral comments that if you don't vote democrat, "you ain't black".
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Melania Trump offers shutdown advice to students in rare TV outing
The first lady delivered a pre-recorded message to CNN’s virtual town hall on the coronavirus last night (which is not really the same as taking part in a live question-and-answer session and much more like a publicity ploy).
In it, she advised students to stay chipper and use the shutdown to tackle that copy of Middlemarch they’ve been holding out on.
The Daily Show has this delicious bit of counter-programming: a graduation speech Trump himself gave in 2004 that now features a very unfortunate choice of analogy.
Sixty per cent of Americans now disapprove of Trump's handling of coronavirus response
Well, he won't like this poll from ABC/Ipsos any more than he enjoyed the Fox one.
New Lincoln Project video targets Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale
George Conway's merry band of Never Trumper Republicans is at it again, this time going after the mastermind behind Team Trump, whom they accuse of feathering his own nest in their new spot "GOP Cribs".
Griffin Connolly has this report.
Trump orders withdrawal from ‘Open Skies’ arms control treaty
The president yesterday ordered the US withdrawal from a three-decade-old arms control treaty that allows countries to conduct unarmed reconnaissance flights over each other’s territory, blaming Russia for failing to stick to the agreement.
“Russia and us have developed a very good relationship, but Russia didn’t adhere to the treaty. So until they adhere, we will pull out," Trump said. He added that there was "a very good chance" a new agreement would be forged, without providing further details.
The Open Skies treaty was signed in 1992 in an effort to promote trust and avert conflict between nations by allowing overflights to monitor signs of military activity and build-up. Some 35 nations are signatories, including Russia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
But US officials have long complained that Russia has not fully complied with the agreement and Trump has made the decision to withdraw, according to The New York Times. Officials said the same information could be gleaned from satellite imagery at a lower cost.
Here's Richard Hall's report.
'Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden suffer from the same sickness as Trump'
For Indy Voices, John T Bennett has his timely warning against Democratic complacency as the speaker and Oval Office challenger descend into PG insults for an R-Rated president.
CDC quietly releases reopening guidance shelved by Trump White House
Oh look.
After being held up for weeks by a debate over restrictions for religious organisations, the CDC advice on safely ending lockdown that was tossed in the trash by the White House has now been added to a 20-page appendix of a previously existing document on the body's website on the quiet.
The CDC's director, Robert Redfield, nevertheless insisted yesterday in an interview with Politico he does not feel "muzzled" by the Trump administration.
Justin Vallejo has the full story.
Hydroxychloroquine linked to increased risk of death in coronavirus patients, new study finds
Medical journal The Lancet today carries this damning assessment of the antimalaria drug Trump said he was taking earlier this week contrary to medical advice.
The study of 96,000 patients spread over 600 hospitals around the world concludes hydroxychloroquine or cholorquine taken with or without a macrolide is linked to increased rates of mortality and heart arrhythmias among hospital patients with Covid-19.
Woman who has taken hydroxychloroquine for 19 years still contracts coronavirus
In a further blow to Colonel Trump's Miracle Elixir, Louise Hall has this report on "Kim", who has been taking the treatment for almost two decades and contracted coronavirus anyway.
Michelle Obama leads tributes to legendary White House butler who served 11 presidents
The former first lady has offered her remembrances of Wilson Jerman, who died from Covid-19 earlier this week at the age of 91 after leading an extraordinary life of service.
Andrew Naughtie has her thoughts.
Viral video contrasts Trump's coronavirus response with that of other world leaders
As the majority of Americans turn on the president over his failure to contain the pandemic, the following short film by The Atlantic casts a decidedly unflattering light on his leadership by juxtaposing his public statements at the podium with those of Justin Trudeau, Angela Merkel, Jacinda Ardern and Moon Jae-in, among others.
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