Donald Trump's new White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her first press briefing on Friday after more than 400 days without a scheduled press briefing by the Trump administration.
The last briefing was held by Sarah Sanders in March 2019, though the president has held his own free-wheeling briefings through the coronavirus pandemic and reporters scramble to get statements during Oval Office visits.
Before the president left the White House for Camp David for the weekend, his first extended departure from Washington since the coronavirus pandemic, the president revised his predictions for the nation's death toll, saying it will "hopefully" fall under 100,000.
He has previously claimed the death toll from Covid-19 would near 50,000 to 60,000, an estimate he later changed to 60,000 to 70,000.
By 1 May, nearly 65,000 people have died from illness related to the virus, and more than 1 million cases were confirmed in the US this week, accounting for roughly one-third of global cases.
Ms McEnany vowed to reporters she would never "lie" to the public while at the podium, though several claims were scrutinised moments later. She also addressed China, where the coronavirus is believe to have originated, and the "injustice" surrounding General Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
Earlier on Friday, the president teased reinstating disgraced general after calling the FBI “dirty cops” for investigating him.
Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Joe Biden has emphatically denied a historic sexual assault allegation against him, breaking his silence over the accusation as more people corroborate a former senate aide's account of an assault.
In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to extend lockdown measures led armed right-wing protesters to storm the state House in Lansing to demand an end to quarantine. The president subsequently praised protesters as “very good people” following their protest.
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Hello and welcome to The Independent's rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in the US and the Donald Trump administration's response to it.
Trump claims to have seen 'evidence' coronavirus engineered in Wuhan lab
Donald Trump has claimed he has seen evidence indicating that the coronavirus originated in a medical laboratory in Wuhan, China, and may have been released on the world by “mistake” while threatening to slap a new round of tariffs on the rival superpower he continues to blame for the outbreak.
Speaking at the White House at an event in the East Room nominally about his administration's efforts to aid seniors during the shutdown, Trump said: "It's a terrible thing that happened.
"Whether they made a mistake or whether it started off as a mistake and then they made another one, or did somebody do something on purpose."
"Certainly it could have been stopped," he continued. "They either couldn't do it from a competence standpoint, or they let it spread... It got loose, let's say, and they could have capped it."
The Chinese government has said that any claims that the coronavirus was released from a laboratory are "unfounded and purely fabricated out of nothing".
The country's foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: "I would like to point out again that the origin of the virus is a complex scientific issue and it should be studied by scientists and professionals.
Shuang criticised those in the US who say China should be held accountable for the global pandemic, saying they should spend their time on "better controlling the epidemic situation at home".
Trump also used the session to again insist Beijing is invested in stopping his re-election and to claim he stopped praising the country as soon as the virus hit the US, which is simply not so, as the tweet below from late March indicates:
The president’s conspiracy theorising was branded “yet another distraction” by former FBI general counsel Andrew Weissman following on from several days of Trump lashing out at the media and the bureau for its investigations of several of his allies.
Writer Kurt Eichenwald went even further, branding Trump's latest target in his search for a scapegoat just part of the “endless flurry of lies” he engages in.
Here's John T Bennett's report.
President hints at reinstating or pardoning Michael Flynn
Trump served up more blind optimism yesterday, failing to read the room when he declared of a crisis that has already claimed the lives of more than 60,000 Americans: "Our death totals, our numbers per million people, are really very very strong."
If that sounded a little off, tonally, here are his thoughts on national unity: "The Republican-run states are in strong shape... Republicans are in a much better position, I don't want to use the word 'negotiating position' but we are."
So much for calls from Mike Pence and others on the right not to politicise the recovery effort.
But he insisted he had compassion for the public he has so emphatically failed to reach out to or commiserate with: "I don't think anybody could feel any worse than I do about all of the death and destruction that is so needless. Nobody... Nobody is thinking about it more."
Ha! Those comments came after he'd spent much of the day lashing out at the FBI over their past investigations into Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, accusing the bureau of "corruption" and branding its former director James Comey "A DIRTY COP!"
Asked about whether he would reinstate Flynn - who was fired as Trump's first national security adviser in early 2017 after just 24 days in office for lying to the Feds and to VP Pence about his international consultancy commitments - the president said he would "certainly consider it", presumably to vindicate his decision to appoint the general in the first place.
John T Bennett has more on this.
Trump served up more blind optimism yesterday, failing to read the room when he declared of a crisis that has already claimed the lives of more than 60,000 Americans: "Our death totals, our numbers per million people, are really very very strong."
If that sounded a little off, tonally, here are his thoughts on national unity: "The Republican-run states are in strong shape... Republicans are in a much better position, I don't want to use the word 'negotiating position' but we are."
So much for calls from Mike Pence and others on the right not to politicise the recovery effort.
But he insisted he had compassion for the public he has so emphatically failed to reach out to or commiserate with: "I don't think anybody could feel any worse than I do about all of the death and destruction that is so needless. Nobody... Nobody is thinking about it more."
Ha! Those comments came after he'd spent much of the day lashing out at the FBI over their past investigations into Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, accusing the bureau of "corruption" and branding its former director James Comey "A DIRTY COP!"
Asked about whether he would reinstate Flynn - who was fired as Trump's first national security adviser in early 2017 after just 24 days in office for lying to the Feds and to VP Pence about his international consultancy commitments - the president said he would "certainly consider it", presumably to vindicate his decision to appoint the general in the first place.
John T Bennett has more on this.
Trump pressures Joe Biden to come clean on sexual assault allegation
The president also used his platform to call on his Democratic challenger Joe Biden to come clean on the historic sexual assault allegation against him brought by former staffer Tara Reade.
"I know all about false accusations. I've been falsely charged numerous times," Trump said, rather understating the case somewhat, before capitalising by accusing the opposition of hypocrisy over the Brett Kavanaugh affair in 2018.
Biden will reportedly do so today, calling into MSNBC's Morning Joe to address the matter, which has so far been left up to high-profile women supporting him like Stacey Abrams and Kirsten Gillibrand.
House Democratic Caucus chair Hakeem Jeffries, for one, has broken party ranks to say the matter "needs to be investigated seriously" if the man is to be the party's presidential candidate.
Last night, the same network's All In with Chris Hayes held a segment on Reade's accusation against the former vice president, which date back to 1993, prompting the hashtag #FireChrisHayes to trend among angry Democrats, taking the presenter to task for daring to take the matter seriously and overlooking his dogged efforts to hold Trump to account over the last four years.
Here's Alex Woodward's story.
The president also used his platform to call on his Democratic challenger Joe Biden to come clean on the historic sexual assault allegation against him brought by former staffer Tara Reade.
"I know all about false accusations. I've been falsely charged numerous times," Trump said, rather understating the case somewhat, before capitalising by accusing the opposition of hypocrisy over the Brett Kavanaugh affair in 2018.
Biden will reportedly do so today, calling into MSNBC's Morning Joe to address the matter, which has so far been left up to high-profile women supporting him like Stacey Abrams and Kirsten Gillibrand.
House Democratic Caucus chair Hakeem Jeffries, for one, has broken party ranks to say the matter "needs to be investigated seriously" if the man is to be the party's presidential candidate.
Last night, the same network's All In with Chris Hayes held a segment on Reade's accusation against the former vice president, which date back to 1993, prompting the hashtag #FireChrisHayes to trend among angry Democrats, taking the presenter to task for daring to take the matter seriously and overlooking his dogged efforts to hold Trump to account over the last four years.
Here's Alex Woodward's story.
Armed anti-lockdown protesters storm Michigan State House
With all that going on in DC, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to extend lockdown measures further into May led an angry mob of armed right-wing protesters to storm the State House in Lansing in alarming scenes that quickly went viral as the public’s patience in quarantine is severely tested.
The stand-off with members of "Michigan United for Liberty" was carefully managed by law enforcement officers and the demonstrators were within their legal rights to bear arms but the pictures were alarming and the idea of legislators and administrators having to don bulletproof vests to go about their work on top of everything else going on right now is surely beyond the pale.
Here's Danielle Zoellner's report.
Nancy Pelosi says state governments want up to $1trn from next federal bailout
The House speaker said on Thursday that state and local governments are seeking up to $1trn (£796bn) for coronavirus costs, a stunning benchmark for the next aid package that's certain to run into opposition from Senate Republicans.
Pelosi acknowledged the federal government may not be able to provide that much. But she said money for "heroes" is needed to prevent layoffs as governors and mayors stare down red ink in their budgets.
Many jurisdictions are facing rising costs from the health pandemic and plummeting revenues in the economic shutdown. The best way Americans can support front-line community workers, Pelosi said, is to make sure they don't lose their jobs to budget cuts.
"This is something of the highest priority," Pelosi said. "It honours our heroes."
The House speaker said on Thursday that state and local governments are seeking up to $1trn (£796bn) for coronavirus costs, a stunning benchmark for the next aid package that's certain to run into opposition from Senate Republicans.
Pelosi acknowledged the federal government may not be able to provide that much. But she said money for "heroes" is needed to prevent layoffs as governors and mayors stare down red ink in their budgets.
Many jurisdictions are facing rising costs from the health pandemic and plummeting revenues in the economic shutdown. The best way Americans can support front-line community workers, Pelosi said, is to make sure they don't lose their jobs to budget cuts.
"This is something of the highest priority," Pelosi said. "It honours our heroes."
Nurses, transit bus drivers and other workers "are risking their lives to save lives, and now they're going to lose their jobs," she said.
The $1trn price tag comes after Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell shifted his tone, suggesting he is "open" to considering additional funds in the next coronavirus relief bill.
But the eye-popping figure would be on top of the nearly $3trn (£2.4bn) Congress has already approved to salvage the economy and confront the health crisis.
At the White House, Trump said, "We'll see what happens. If we do that, we'll have to get something for it."
Congress is partially reopening next week as the House convenes key committee hearings and the Senate gavels into session after being shuttered for more than a month during the pandemic.
But the legislative branch will be a changed place.
Senators are recommended to wear masks, keep six feet apart and have most staff work from home, according to official guidance. At the private Republican lunches, it will be just three senators to a table. Democrats will have lunch by conference call.
Trump on Pentagon UFO footage: 'I just wonder if it’s real. That’s a hell of a video”
Ever wondered what the president thinks about the existence of extraterrestrials or the luxury real estate potential of the Red Planet and outer moons of Jupiter?
Louise Hall has your answers.
Ever wondered what the president thinks about the existence of extraterrestrials or the luxury real estate potential of the Red Planet and outer moons of Jupiter?
Louise Hall has your answers.
US intelligence dismisses idea virus was man-made but does not rule out China lab accident
We've heard what Trump thinks about the origins of the coronavirus.
It was all a nefarious Chinese conspiracy, you see, an experiment in germ warfare intended to destroy his presidency that got out of hand and had to be covered up by those hapless stooges over at the World Health Organisation, a situation that absolutely no one could ever possibly have foreseen, not even his own advisers who warned him about the seriousness of the coming pandemic as early as 18 January when he told them to go away and dismissed their concerns as a "hoax".
Here's Chris Riotta on the persective of the presumably-better-informed American intelligence gatherers.
Trump administration ‘orders 100,000 new body bags’ despite saying 60,000 could die from virus
Despite the president's cheerleading about his administration's efforts to curtail the Covid-19 infection rate in public...
...they're clearly preparing for many more casualties in private.
Gino Spocchia has this report.
Mike Pence wears mask on factory visit following outrage over Mayo Clinic appearance
James Crump has this on the vice president's latest public outing in Indiana, learning his lesson after ignoring his own task force's advice earlier this week and having his wife go on Fox and lie about it.
Joe Biden says alleged sexual assault 'never happened'
As Trump begins what promises to be another long day on Twitter by knocking out Mike Pence and Tom Fitton retweets and forgetting the legacy of Franklin D Roosevelt...
...Joe Biden has issued a statement denying the Tara Reade allegation, the first time he has addressed the subject in any form.
Here's Chris Riotta's breaking story.
As Trump begins what promises to be another long day on Twitter by knocking out Mike Pence and Tom Fitton retweets and forgetting the legacy of Franklin D Roosevelt...
...Joe Biden has issued a statement denying the Tara Reade allegation, the first time he has addressed the subject in any form.
Here's Chris Riotta's breaking story.
US appeals court rules against Trump attempt to withhold funds from sanctuary cities
The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has ruled against a Trump administration attempt to withhold millions of dollars from so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The decision upheld a pair of lower court rulings that blocked the administration from placing immigration-related conditions on law enforcement grants.
Trump has made immigration a central theme of his presidency and 2020 re-election campaign. He frequently criticises Democrat-controlled "sanctuary" jurisdictions for policies that he says protect criminal immigrants.
The decision follows Trump's remarks on Wednesday that suggested he might restrict coronavirus aid to states and cities with "sanctuary" policies.
"If you're going to get aid to the cities and states for the kind of numbers you're talking about - billions of dollars - I don't think you should have sanctuary cities," Trump told reporters at the White House.
The appeals court said the ruling would be applied nationwide, although one judge on a three-judge panel that considered the matter said he would have narrowed the scope to the city of Chicago, which brought the lawsuit.
Federal appeals courts have issued divergent rulings over Trump's attempts to restrict funding to "sanctuary" cities, setting up a possible appeal to the US Supreme Court.
The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has ruled against a Trump administration attempt to withhold millions of dollars from so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The decision upheld a pair of lower court rulings that blocked the administration from placing immigration-related conditions on law enforcement grants.
Trump has made immigration a central theme of his presidency and 2020 re-election campaign. He frequently criticises Democrat-controlled "sanctuary" jurisdictions for policies that he says protect criminal immigrants.
The decision follows Trump's remarks on Wednesday that suggested he might restrict coronavirus aid to states and cities with "sanctuary" policies.
"If you're going to get aid to the cities and states for the kind of numbers you're talking about - billions of dollars - I don't think you should have sanctuary cities," Trump told reporters at the White House.
The appeals court said the ruling would be applied nationwide, although one judge on a three-judge panel that considered the matter said he would have narrowed the scope to the city of Chicago, which brought the lawsuit.
Federal appeals courts have issued divergent rulings over Trump's attempts to restrict funding to "sanctuary" cities, setting up a possible appeal to the US Supreme Court.
Trump to leave White House today for first time in a month
The president will leave 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Friday for the first time in over a month when he travels to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
Trump will make the 70-mile trip this evening, according to a schedule released by the White House on Thursday night. The schedule did not indicate how long he would be staying.
The president will leave 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Friday for the first time in over a month when he travels to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
Trump will make the 70-mile trip this evening, according to a schedule released by the White House on Thursday night. The schedule did not indicate how long he would be staying.
His last trip away from the White House was on 28 March to Norfolk, Virginia, where he bid farewell to the Navy's USNS Comfort hospital ship as it sailed to New York City to help take the pressure off civilian hospitals.
Trump, who faces re-election in November and clearly has a bad case of cabin fever (judging by his increasingly rabid tweets) said on Wednesday he would visit Arizona next week for an "industry"-related event but declined to indicate yesterday whether he would wear a mask as he did so.
Americans risk their lives by returning to work - or face losing unemployment and healthcare
Alex Woodward has this on the stark choice many citizens find themselves having to make between their wellbeing and their livelihood as states start to reopen from lockdown.
Trump calls Michigan protesters 'very good people'
In the last hour, the president has been berating Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer for complaining about the federal government's inadequacy on testing on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.
This is the clip in question:
More significantly, he has unwisely invoked his notorious response to deadly neo-Nazi violence at Charlottesville by praising the armed "patriots" in Michigan and calling on Governor Whitmer to talk to them and "make a deal".
Here's Danielle Zoellner with more on this.
In the last hour, the president has been berating Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer for complaining about the federal government's inadequacy on testing on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.
This is the clip in question:
More significantly, he has unwisely invoked his notorious response to deadly neo-Nazi violence at Charlottesville by praising the armed "patriots" in Michigan and calling on Governor Whitmer to talk to them and "make a deal".
Here's Danielle Zoellner with more on this.
Americans think every governor in all 50 states is handling coronavirus 'better than Trump'
More polling to infuriate the president and leave Brad Parscale cowering in fear behind his desk.
Sanjana Varghese has this for Indy100.
More polling to infuriate the president and leave Brad Parscale cowering in fear behind his desk.
Sanjana Varghese has this for Indy100.
Republican lawmakers vote by mail to restrict... vote by mail
Alex Woodward has the story behind this fabulous headline, a tale of intense GOP idiocy all the way from Louisiana.
Alex Woodward has the story behind this fabulous headline, a tale of intense GOP idiocy all the way from Louisiana.
Kellyanne Conway: 'Believe all women means all women - you don’t get to choose'
I think this tweet says it all about the White House adviser's latest appearance on Fox to trash Joe Biden over his denial of the Tara Reade allegation.
Capitol Hill doctor says he doesn’t have enough coronavirus tests to screen all 100 senators
If this doesn't put Trump's boasts about America's testing capacity in the shade, I don't know what will.
Gino Spocchia has this report.
'Imagine if black people had done the same'
Here's Moya Lothian-McLean for Indy100 on what the actions of the Michigan protesters reveal about race and white privilege in the US.
Here's Moya Lothian-McLean for Indy100 on what the actions of the Michigan protesters reveal about race and white privilege in the US.
