Trump news: President says some states could reopen 'literally tomorrow' as White House taskforce unveils new guidelines
White House plan for 'Opening Up America Again' draws fire as president claims 'national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has said the US will investigate a conspiracy theory surrounding the coronavirus suggesting it originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, China, and was originally intended as a weapon for use in biological warfare, with secretary of state Mike Pompeo urging Beijing to “come clean” on the matter.
While the president was triggering a new constitutional crisis by threatening to adjourn Congress on Wednesday over a minor political grievance, his supporters were staging protests across the country against ongoing stay-at-home orders, with armed demonstrators chanting “Lock her up!” outside the offices of Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.
After teasing out the release of a set of "guidelines" for state and local government to begin reopening during the pandemic, the president unveiled his MAGA-referencing "Opening Up America Again" plan, which he said could allow some states to begin reopening "literally tomorrow" despite criticisms that the plan doesn't offer any worker protections or consistent enforcement to prevent a spike in outbreaks.
He said his guidelines offer a "phased, deliberate approach" for states to re-open businesses, after the president has grown impatient with a stalled economy in the wake of the pandemic.
Mr Trump said "a national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution."
The president told governors on Thursday that "you're going to be calling the shots" despite telling Americans just days earlier that he has "total authority" to end quarantine and other mitigation efforts.
Ronald Klain, who led the Ebola response under former president Barack Obama, said that the "plan" is "barely a PowerPoint."
Meanwhile, the president's approval rating dropped six percentage points within the first weeks of April, marking the largest point drop in his presidency, according to Gallup.
His current 43 per cent rating, however, still hovers above his 40 per cent average.
Please allow a moment for our live blog to load
Super-rich family spends $27m on New York properties to protect money during pandemic
A mystery Peruvian family has invested nearly $27m (£21.6m) in eight New York apartments to protect their money amidst the coronavirus lockdown, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The family bought units in the Waterline Square development that span a total of 11,000 square feet and intend to rent them out after the crisis, according to their agent, Maria Velazquez, who says they invested in the assets now because they believed "their money was safer in an apartment in New York than in a bank”.
Louise Hall has this report.
Ivanka Trump travels to family golf club for Passover after urging Americans to ‘do your part’ and stay at home
Despite urging Americans to follow social distancing measures and avoid discretionary travel, Ivanka Trump reportedly embarked on a trip to her family's golf club in New Jersey for the Passover holiday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The first daughter, who also serves in her father’s White House as a senior advisor, has repeatedly encouraged others to adhere to the administration’s guidelines, which include avoiding social gatherings of 10 or more people and staying six feet away from others.
However, The New York Times reported on Thursday that the 38-year-old went with her family from Washington to New Jersey, where they stayed at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. The mayor of DC issued a stay at home order effective on 1 April limiting travel to essential purposes and requiring residents to otherwise stay at home.
Here's Chris Riotta's report.
People are dying while Trump is ‘having temper tantrums’, says Joe Biden
“He likes to say he is a wartime president. Well, he needs to step up and act like one, not harangue the press for hours on end while people are dying,” said the president's Democratic challenger in last night's virtual town hall.
James Crump has more on the candidate's attack.
Colorado's first Jewish governor tearfully responds to Republican leader comparing stay-at-home orders to Nazism
Colorado's governor, Jared Polis, choked up while answering a question about people who have likened his stay-at-home orders - which are intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus - to Nazism.
A reporter for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel asked Mr Polis, who is Jewish and lost family in the Holocaust, how he was responding to criticism that the state's stay-at-home orders - which were put in place on 25 March and are set to last until 26 April - were akin to tyranny and "Nazism" during a press briefing.
He said: "As a Jewish American who lost family in the Holocaust, I'm offended by any comparison to Nazism. We act to save lives - the exact opposite of the slaughter of 6 million Jews and many gypsies and Catholics and gays and lesbians and Russians and so many others."
Graig Graziosi reports:
Nurses suspended after refusing to treat coronavirus patients without N95 masks
A group of nurses has been suspended, after they refused to treat coronavirus patients without N95 masks.
The nurses, based at the Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, refused to treat the patients, after one of their colleagues tested positive for Covid-19.
They had previously asked for more N95 masks to be supplied to them, but were told by hospital administrators that they were not necessary, according to the Associated Press.
James Crump reports:
What historians will see when they look back on 2020's coronavirus pandemic
Universities, archives and historical societies are rushing to collect and curate personal accounts of how people are experiencing sprawling public health crisis
Audra D S Burch reports:
Paycheck Protection Program is already out of money
A federal program to authorize loans to small businesses to help payrolls during the coronavirus crisis has run out of money and is frozen to new applications.
The Small Business Administration says it's not able to accept new applications or enoll new lenders.
The news follows another devastating unemployment report with 5.2 million more people filing for benefits within the last week, joining more than 20 million people in the US who have lost work during the pandemic.
Trump urges Congress back to DC despite health guidelines against large groups
Donald Trump on Thursday urged Congress to return to Washington to "do your job," despite his own health advisers – including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – telling Americans to practice social distancing that is impossible during the normal voting and committee procedures of Congress.
Griffin Connolly reports:
New York extends stay-at-home order
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has extended the state’s coronavirus restrictions through 15 May, as hospitalisation and ICU admission rate continues its decline.
He said this decision was “in coordination with other states”. New York partnered with six other Northeastern states – New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts – to coordinate how each area would open in the coming weeks and months.
Although New York as appeared to reach its apex, the governor has continued to implore residents to follow social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders to prevent a resurgence of the virus.
Now essential workers will be the only ones allowed to go into work through 15 May. After that, it remains unclear.
Danielle Zoellner reports:
Trump calls the United States a ‘developing nation’ — again
Donald Trump has once again referred to the United States as a “developing nation” while slamming the World Trade Organisation, claiming its policies favour Beijing over Washington during a press briefing at the White House.
Chris Riotta reports:
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments