Donald Trump has turned against Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his reopening plan amid the coronavirus pandemic, revealing he told the governor he "disagreed strongly" with his decisions.
"I told the Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase one guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia," Mr Trump said during his White House press briefing.
The Republican governor has faced backlash for deciding to open salons, barbers, gyms, and bowling alleys to restart his state's economy. Critics pointed out Mr Kemp's order went against the three-phase plan laid out by the Trump administration and the coronavirus task force.
At the top of the press briefing, Mr Trump went into the media, specifically The Washington Post, for its story quoting Dr Robert Redfield, the director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the interview, the director warned the second Covid-19 infections in the winter could be "more difficult" to tackle because it would also be flu season.
Mr Trump claimed the director was "totally misquoted", but Dr Redfield later conceded the newspaper did quote him correctly. What his office and the Trump administration took issue was the newspaper's decision to use "more devastating" instead of "more difficult" in the headline.
Infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci was later asked about what the fall and winter months could look like for the virus. He said: "We will have coronavirus in the fall." What level the virus would be at in those months remained to be seen, but the task force was prepared to address Covid-19 for the foreseeable future.
As the White House prepares an order "prohibiting immigration" into the US following the president's late-night Twitter announcement, the top doctor leading the federal vaccine response says he was dismissed for questioning a drug that has been repeatedly promoted by the president, despite warnings from his own health officials and a lack of testing to determine the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine. The president promoted the drug dozens of times but abruptly stopped after early trials showed harmful results.
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.
Nancy Pelosi accuses Trump of overseeing 'total failure' of Covid-19 response
The House speaker has accused Donald Trump of overseeing the “total failure” of the US response to coronavirus testing and “engaging in distractions” rather than providing real leadership through the crisis.
Speaking on PBS NewsHour, Pelosi asserted that the president was more interested in diversions and "misrepresentations" than reining in the disaster though the mass rollout of safe testing nationwide as he seeks to deflect responsibility for the federal handling of the virus's spread in the US.
"What is impeding the federal government from addressing the Covid-19 crisis is the president’s denial, delay in all of this, and that has been deadly," Pelosi said.
"We are insisting on the truth and the president is engaged in a series of misrepresentations to the American people and that is the impediment.
"He is always engaged in distractions like immigration, distractions like supporting people in the street," she said, alluding to the Operation Gridlock protest movement. "They're all distractions away from the fact, the known fact, that he's a total failure when it comes to testing."
While the president has so far blamed China, the World Health Organisation and his own state governors for the spread of the virus and the economic catastrophe it has wrought, the timing of the speaker's criticism was doubly damning given that Trump had just met with New York goveror Andrew Cuomo at the White House to promise he would assist him in doubling the worst-hit state's testing capacity.
The House speaker has accused Donald Trump of overseeing the “total failure” of the US response to coronavirus testing and “engaging in distractions” rather than providing real leadership through the crisis.
Speaking on PBS NewsHour, Pelosi asserted that the president was more interested in diversions and "misrepresentations" than reining in the disaster though the mass rollout of safe testing nationwide as he seeks to deflect responsibility for the federal handling of the virus's spread in the US.
"What is impeding the federal government from addressing the Covid-19 crisis is the president’s denial, delay in all of this, and that has been deadly," Pelosi said.
"We are insisting on the truth and the president is engaged in a series of misrepresentations to the American people and that is the impediment.
"He is always engaged in distractions like immigration, distractions like supporting people in the street," she said, alluding to the Operation Gridlock protest movement. "They're all distractions away from the fact, the known fact, that he's a total failure when it comes to testing."
While the president has so far blamed China, the World Health Organisation and his own state governors for the spread of the virus and the economic catastrophe it has wrought, the timing of the speaker's criticism was doubly damning given that Trump had just met with New York goveror Andrew Cuomo at the White House to promise he would assist him in doubling the worst-hit state's testing capacity.
CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus could be 'more difficult'
Pelosis's broadside against the president followed Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning that a second wave of Covid-19 infections breaking out this winter could prove “more difficult” to tackle.
Here's Louise Hall's story.
Pelosis's broadside against the president followed Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning that a second wave of Covid-19 infections breaking out this winter could prove “more difficult” to tackle.
Here's Louise Hall's story.
Congress agrees new $484bn small business bailout
In better news for the country - now the worst affected in the world, with 810,219 cases and 45,153 deaths - the Senate yesterday passed a new $484bn (£392bn) stimulus package to bring fresh relief to the US economy and hospitals hammered by the pandemic, sending the measure on to the House of Representatives for final passage later this week.
Here's Griffin Connolly on the three things you need to know about the latest relief bill.
Trump freezing green cards to 'protect the American worker'
At the president's latest White House briefing on the outbreak yesterday, he pledged to win November's election by "a landslide" in spite of the constant criticism of his handling of the disaster with the American death toll zeroing in on that grim 50,000 milestone.
He also dismissed Dr Redfield's warning about the chance of more vicious flare-up of the virus, saying: "I really believe we will be able to put out the fires. It's like fires. And we've learned a lot."
His big announcement though was his plan to freeze green cards for 60 days as part of immigration suspension measures, widely dismissed as pointless opportunism on Tuesday given the state of shutdown.
"By pausing immigration, we'll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens," he said at the podium. "So important. It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad."
Andrea Flores of the American Civil Liberties Union commented afterwards that Trump seemed "more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives" while former secretary of state Madeleine Albright told Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC that "the Statue of Liberty is weeping".
John T Bennett has more on this.
At the president's latest White House briefing on the outbreak yesterday, he pledged to win November's election by "a landslide" in spite of the constant criticism of his handling of the disaster with the American death toll zeroing in on that grim 50,000 milestone.
He also dismissed Dr Redfield's warning about the chance of more vicious flare-up of the virus, saying: "I really believe we will be able to put out the fires. It's like fires. And we've learned a lot."
His big announcement though was his plan to freeze green cards for 60 days as part of immigration suspension measures, widely dismissed as pointless opportunism on Tuesday given the state of shutdown.
"By pausing immigration, we'll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens," he said at the podium. "So important. It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad."
“We must first take care of the American worker,” Trump continued echoing the “America First“ theme of his 2016 campaign and tenure in the Oval Office. “Right now, we have to have jobs for Americans. We’ve closed down the largest economy in the history of the world. They have to work. They need to support their families... People need money... We cannot break our country,” he said.
An administration official later explained the order will apply to foreigners seeking employment-based green cards and relatives of current holders who are not themselves US citizens. Americans wishing to bring immediate family will still be able to do so.
About 1m green cards were granted in the 2019 fiscal year, about half to spouses, children and parents of US citizens.
By limiting his immigration measure to green cards, Trump leaves untouched hundreds of thousands of foreign workers granted non-immigrant visas each year, including farm workers, healthcare professionals and software programmers.
The Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, estimated that some 110,000 green cards could be delayed during a two-month pause. Trump said he would consider extending the restrictions, depending on economic conditions at the time.
An administration official later explained the order will apply to foreigners seeking employment-based green cards and relatives of current holders who are not themselves US citizens. Americans wishing to bring immediate family will still be able to do so.
About 1m green cards were granted in the 2019 fiscal year, about half to spouses, children and parents of US citizens.
By limiting his immigration measure to green cards, Trump leaves untouched hundreds of thousands of foreign workers granted non-immigrant visas each year, including farm workers, healthcare professionals and software programmers.
The Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, estimated that some 110,000 green cards could be delayed during a two-month pause. Trump said he would consider extending the restrictions, depending on economic conditions at the time.
Andrea Flores of the American Civil Liberties Union commented afterwards that Trump seemed "more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives" while former secretary of state Madeleine Albright told Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC that "the Statue of Liberty is weeping".
John T Bennett has more on this.
Trump says America's allies are worse than its enemies and wishes Kim Jong-un well
Also at yesterday's briefing, the president began lashing out at friendly nations, saying they have “taken us much more so than the enemies.”
He also excused his decision to furlough staff at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida ("You can't have many hundreds of employees standing around doing nothing") and was far more gracious in his reponse to the news that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is ill than he ever was about late Arizona senator and war hero John McCain.
John T Bennett has this report.
Also at yesterday's briefing, the president began lashing out at friendly nations, saying they have “taken us much more so than the enemies.”
He also excused his decision to furlough staff at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida ("You can't have many hundreds of employees standing around doing nothing") and was far more gracious in his reponse to the news that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is ill than he ever was about late Arizona senator and war hero John McCain.
John T Bennett has this report.
President demands Harvard give back emergency funding
You'd imagine the Ivy League world already takes a dim view of Trump but this won't help the situation.
He's now saying the world-renowned Massachusetts university should follow the likes of Shake Shack and hand back the $9m (£7.3m) it received under the Paychecks Protection Programme.
"They shouldn't have taken it," he adds.
Danielle Zoellner has this report.
Trump sees 'light at the end of the tunnel', promotes border security and schmoozes nonagenarian
The president is up early, watching Fox and Friends as his custom and preaching optimism.
The president is up early, watching Fox and Friends as his custom and preaching optimism.
He's also proclaiming his latest immigration clampdown and attempting to put Americans at ease about the thorny problem of human trafficking, an important subject but one far from most people's realities at the moment.
And, he's already putting the moves on a 90-year-old journalist - before breakfast.
You sly dog, Don.
Michigan governor: Trump's 'inconsistent messaging' puts Americans 'in great danger'
The president said yesterday the states would be reopened with "tremendous passion", despite widespread criticism of the governors of Georgia, Texas and Tennessee for planning to do so in haste.
Their Michigan counterpart Gretchen Whitmer said on Tuesday that Trump's plan to suspend immigration was just the latest example of his "inconsistent messages" on the pandemic, which, she said, has spread fear and put the public in "greater danger."
Here she is speaking to Anderson Cooper last night:
Trump's pronouncements about freezing immigration are "scary" for immigrants, family members hoping to immigrate to the US, farmers who rely on seasonal migrant workers and Canadian nurses who work in Michigan, the Democratic governor said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"These broad statements that come out I think are are so problematic and counter to I think what we need right now more than anything - which is fact based scientifically proven, best practices and an optimistic vision of where we are headed and the thrust to make it a reality," said Whitmer, who said the focus should be on making swabs for testing. "This is what we need right now - not additional new things to be upset about, fearful of or mad about."
She said she worries Trump's daily televised briefings only make things worse.
"I think that the nightly briefing has yielded a lot of inconsistent messages to the public - messages that put people in greater danger," she said.
The first-term governor's comments were the latest in a series of criticisms she has directed at the president and his handling of the virus outbreak. Her high-profile disputes with Trump have put her at the centre of the states' fight with the federal government over equipment and testing - and helped raise her political profile.
Whitmer, who is believed to a vice presidential contender, told AP she has not been asked by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to participate in any vetting for the role. "Of course I would give whatever they've asked for," she said. "But I'm not auditioning for any different job than the one that I have right now."
Whitmer insisted her focus now is on managing the crisis that has devastated her state's economy and killed 2,700 people. She said Michigan, along with other states, is struggling to conduct sufficient testing and urged Trump to use all his powers to force manufacturers to produce more test swabs. She spoke as some Republican governors have begun the process of reopening the economy without waiting for more testing, moves that gives her "great pause."
"I know that we're going to have to be really methodical and data-driven about what sectors of our economy we engage in when it is going to be a slow re-entry. Our biggest concern, of course, is a second wave," said Whitmer, who may relax her stay-at-home order beginning 1 May. "The worst thing would be for us to spike the football and think we are outside of the danger zone, and to re-engage and find another peak of Covid-19."
The president said yesterday the states would be reopened with "tremendous passion", despite widespread criticism of the governors of Georgia, Texas and Tennessee for planning to do so in haste.
Their Michigan counterpart Gretchen Whitmer said on Tuesday that Trump's plan to suspend immigration was just the latest example of his "inconsistent messages" on the pandemic, which, she said, has spread fear and put the public in "greater danger."
Here she is speaking to Anderson Cooper last night:
Trump's pronouncements about freezing immigration are "scary" for immigrants, family members hoping to immigrate to the US, farmers who rely on seasonal migrant workers and Canadian nurses who work in Michigan, the Democratic governor said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"These broad statements that come out I think are are so problematic and counter to I think what we need right now more than anything - which is fact based scientifically proven, best practices and an optimistic vision of where we are headed and the thrust to make it a reality," said Whitmer, who said the focus should be on making swabs for testing. "This is what we need right now - not additional new things to be upset about, fearful of or mad about."
She said she worries Trump's daily televised briefings only make things worse.
"I think that the nightly briefing has yielded a lot of inconsistent messages to the public - messages that put people in greater danger," she said.
The first-term governor's comments were the latest in a series of criticisms she has directed at the president and his handling of the virus outbreak. Her high-profile disputes with Trump have put her at the centre of the states' fight with the federal government over equipment and testing - and helped raise her political profile.
Whitmer, who is believed to a vice presidential contender, told AP she has not been asked by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to participate in any vetting for the role. "Of course I would give whatever they've asked for," she said. "But I'm not auditioning for any different job than the one that I have right now."
Whitmer insisted her focus now is on managing the crisis that has devastated her state's economy and killed 2,700 people. She said Michigan, along with other states, is struggling to conduct sufficient testing and urged Trump to use all his powers to force manufacturers to produce more test swabs. She spoke as some Republican governors have begun the process of reopening the economy without waiting for more testing, moves that gives her "great pause."
"I know that we're going to have to be really methodical and data-driven about what sectors of our economy we engage in when it is going to be a slow re-entry. Our biggest concern, of course, is a second wave," said Whitmer, who may relax her stay-at-home order beginning 1 May. "The worst thing would be for us to spike the football and think we are outside of the danger zone, and to re-engage and find another peak of Covid-19."
Texas lieutenant governor: 'There are more important things than living'
Here are Trump's latest thoughts on reopening...
The lives of senior citizens will be "better than ever" he says, bewilderingly, taking their survival as a given.
Alabama's Democratic governor Doug Jones, for one, agrees with Whitmer that Georgia's decision to end lockdown restrictions early is "crazy"...
...while CNN pundit Van Jones warned on the network's Daily DC podcast the move amounted to "a death sentence for communities of colour".
One man with an entirely different opinion though is Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, who told Tucker Carlson last night it is imperative that states reopen as quickly as possible, hang the risk, because "There are more important things than living."
Here are Trump's latest thoughts on reopening...
The lives of senior citizens will be "better than ever" he says, bewilderingly, taking their survival as a given.
Alabama's Democratic governor Doug Jones, for one, agrees with Whitmer that Georgia's decision to end lockdown restrictions early is "crazy"...
...while CNN pundit Van Jones warned on the network's Daily DC podcast the move amounted to "a death sentence for communities of colour".
One man with an entirely different opinion though is Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, who told Tucker Carlson last night it is imperative that states reopen as quickly as possible, hang the risk, because "There are more important things than living."
'Gretchengate' exposes unhealed wounds at Fox News
Also on Tucker Carlson last night was this interesting gaffe in which "Judge" Jeanine Pirro accidentally referred to him as "Gretchen", apparently mispeaking after the pair had been railing against Gretchen Whitmer over in Michigan.
But another Gretchen - Carlson, no relation to Tucker - reacted angrily to the error, evidentally still angry at Pirro over her departure from Fox in 2016 after refusing the unwanted sexual advances of her boss, Roger Ailes, now mercifully dead.
Also on Tucker Carlson last night was this interesting gaffe in which "Judge" Jeanine Pirro accidentally referred to him as "Gretchen", apparently mispeaking after the pair had been railing against Gretchen Whitmer over in Michigan.
But another Gretchen - Carlson, no relation to Tucker - reacted angrily to the error, evidentally still angry at Pirro over her departure from Fox in 2016 after refusing the unwanted sexual advances of her boss, Roger Ailes, now mercifully dead.
‘Just treat us the same’: Trump family ask for rent relief for controversial hotel
Trump’s two sons, Eric and Don Jr, are asking for federal support to rescue the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, whose revenues have plummeted thanks to the coronavirus pandemic – and which is operated by a company that the president himself owns.
In a statement quoted by The New York Times, Eric said all that he and his brother were asking from the government was the same relief that other federal tenants are receiving. “Just treat us the same,” he said. “Whatever that may be is fine.”
Andrew Naughtie has more on this nice little wheeze.
Trump’s two sons, Eric and Don Jr, are asking for federal support to rescue the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, whose revenues have plummeted thanks to the coronavirus pandemic – and which is operated by a company that the president himself owns.
In a statement quoted by The New York Times, Eric said all that he and his brother were asking from the government was the same relief that other federal tenants are receiving. “Just treat us the same,” he said. “Whatever that may be is fine.”
Andrew Naughtie has more on this nice little wheeze.
Trump threatens Iran and warns its navy not to harass US ships
What was that Speaker Pelosi was saying about the president "engaging in distractions"?
What was that Speaker Pelosi was saying about the president "engaging in distractions"?
Missouri suing China over coronavirus: 'They lied to the world'
The US state of Missouri has issued a lawsuit against the Chinese authorities, accusing them of an “appalling campaign of deceit, concealment, misfeasance, and inaction” that led to “the enormous loss of life, human suffering, and economic turmoil” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“During the critical weeks of the initial outbreak,” its suit reads, “Chinese authorities deceived the public, suppressed crucial information, arrested whistleblowers, denied human-to-human transmission in the face of mounting evidence, destroyed critical medical research, permitted millions of people to be exposed to the virus, and even hoarded personal protective equipment – thus causing a global pandemic that was unnecessary and preventable.”
Under US federal law, individual states are not allowed to sue entire countries except in exceptional circumstances. Missouri's case argues that China’s behaviour over coronavirus and its implications stemmed from “commercial” interests, meaning they have the right to sue.
Andrew Naughtie has this report.
The US state of Missouri has issued a lawsuit against the Chinese authorities, accusing them of an “appalling campaign of deceit, concealment, misfeasance, and inaction” that led to “the enormous loss of life, human suffering, and economic turmoil” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“During the critical weeks of the initial outbreak,” its suit reads, “Chinese authorities deceived the public, suppressed crucial information, arrested whistleblowers, denied human-to-human transmission in the face of mounting evidence, destroyed critical medical research, permitted millions of people to be exposed to the virus, and even hoarded personal protective equipment – thus causing a global pandemic that was unnecessary and preventable.”
Under US federal law, individual states are not allowed to sue entire countries except in exceptional circumstances. Missouri's case argues that China’s behaviour over coronavirus and its implications stemmed from “commercial” interests, meaning they have the right to sue.
Andrew Naughtie has this report.
George Conway's Lincoln Project bashes Trump by praising Joe Biden in brutal new video
The DC lawyer and husband of senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway continues to put his life on the line by releasing a new video bashing his wife's employer and hailing the Democratic nominee-in-waiting as "a bipartisan leader who puts good ideas ahead of party politics” and "the man for this moment".
The DC lawyer and husband of senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway continues to put his life on the line by releasing a new video bashing his wife's employer and hailing the Democratic nominee-in-waiting as "a bipartisan leader who puts good ideas ahead of party politics” and "the man for this moment".
US mayor ‘beyond disturbed’ states to reopen despite soaring coronavirus death toll
It's very hard to disagree with that assessment from Van Johnson of Savannah, Georgia, on governor Brian Kemp's deeply questionably call to reopen the state early, risking the prospect of worsening the coronavirus spread for the sake of relieving public pressure.
New York coronavirus deaths surpass 10,000 after spike in cases
The president is currently hammering away on Twitter, blaming the Obama administration for tensions with Iran (a relationship he has hugely aggravated, not least this year through the assassination of Qassem Soleimani) and whining about "Democrat lies" and the media.
But here's what actually matters: the frontline battle against the virus.
The Big Apple saw two consecutive days of declines before this disappointing uptick, with city and state leaders cautiously trailing the idea the disease had past its peak.
Gino Spocchia has the latest.
Hydroxychloroquine: Trump's 'game changer' drug no help with Covid-19, research finds
The anti-malaria drug widely touted by Trump (until he started backing away from it this week) as a miracle cure for the coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in US veterans hospitals.
There were actually more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus those treated with standard care, researchers reported.
The anti-malaria drug widely touted by Trump (until he started backing away from it this week) as a miracle cure for the coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in US veterans hospitals.
There were actually more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus those treated with standard care, researchers reported.
Puerto Rico lags behind rest of US in coronavirus testing
Hobbled by government scandal and dysfunction at the start of the pandemic, San Juan has done far fewer tests to diagnose the coronavirus than anywhere else in the United States, a situation that public health experts fear could leave the island uniquely vulnerable once it attempts to reopen.
Idaho woman arrested for breaking into playground with children to protest against lockdown
Gino Spocchia has this report on the arrest of Sara Brady as quarantine tensions continue to simmer across the country.
Gino Spocchia has this report on the arrest of Sara Brady as quarantine tensions continue to simmer across the country.
