Donald Trump has branded House speaker Nancy Pelosi “a sick puppy” during an interview with Fox and Friends after extending the timeline for the US to remain in lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic until at least 30 April, abandoning his “aspiration” to have the country back in business by Easter. The US death toll has neared 3,000 people, as of Monday, encouraging Virginia's governor to announce shutdown until 10 June.
The White House’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has meanwhile warned that his projection of a potential 100,000 to 200,000 American deaths is “entirely conceivable” if not enough is done to mitigate the crisis, with the president commenting that containing the disaster to that level would represent “a very good job”.
Elsewhere, New York City welcomed 1,000-bed hospital ship USNS Comfort at a harbour to assist the city while fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked the US Navy and President Donald Trump for sending the hospital ship. It will house non-coronavirus patients so hospitals on land can focus their efforts towards those infected.
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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 extends coronavirus lockdown to end of April
Donald Trump has extended the timeline for the US to remain in lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic until at least the end of April, abandoning his “aspiration” to have the country back in business by Easter.
“We will be extending our guidelines to 30 April, to slow the spread. On Tuesday, we will be finalising these plans and providing a summary of our findings, supporting data and strategy to the American people,” he said, speaking in the White House Rose Garden.
“The modelling estimates that the peak in death rate is likely to hit in two weeks, so I will say it again, the peak, highest point of death rates, remember this, is likely to hit in two weeks. Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won.”
Here's Andrew Buncombe's report.
Dr Fauci warns 100,000-200,000 US deaths 'entirely conceivable'
The White House’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has meanwhile warned that his projection of a potential 100,000 to 200,000 American deaths is “entirely conceivable” if not enough is done to mitigate the crisis.
While the expert said he currently anticipated the numbers he referred to, he said he did not want to be held down by them because the pandemic was "such a moving target".
This was the president's subsequent (callous) response, including his latest absurd attempt to pin the blame on the preceeding Obama administration, which ended more than three years ago:
Here's Danielle Zoellner's story.
The White House’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has meanwhile warned that his projection of a potential 100,000 to 200,000 American deaths is “entirely conceivable” if not enough is done to mitigate the crisis.
Currently the US has reported more than 124,000 confirmed cases and over 2,100 deaths, a number that doubled in just two days.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases appeared on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday to discuss the federal response to the coronavirus and whether restrictions would be lifted this week when the 15-day period would be up.
While the expert said he currently anticipated the numbers he referred to, he said he did not want to be held down by them because the pandemic was "such a moving target".
This was the president's subsequent (callous) response, including his latest absurd attempt to pin the blame on the preceeding Obama administration, which ended more than three years ago:
Here's Danielle Zoellner's story.
'Be nice!' Trump in latest spat with reporter in Rose Garden briefing
Trump's press briefings are proving increasingly contentious.
Here he is yesterday falling out with PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor after she asked him about his comments on ventilators during his phone interview with Fox's Sean Hannity last Thursday, when he expressed doubts over the need for them.
Many on Twitter felt Trump had engaged in dog whistle racism and misogny in the exchange, having singled out an African American woman for criticism and angrily made reference to "you people".
Alcindor received huge support in response to the spat, with #WeLoveYamiche trending on social media. She later appeared on NBC to offer a rallying cry for the resistance.
Fellow journalists also came to her defence and to champion a free press so routinely under attack from this president:
Here's Gino Spocchia on Alcindor.
Trump's press briefings are proving increasingly contentious.
Here he is yesterday falling out with PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor after she asked him about his comments on ventilators during his phone interview with Fox's Sean Hannity last Thursday, when he expressed doubts over the need for them.
Many on Twitter felt Trump had engaged in dog whistle racism and misogny in the exchange, having singled out an African American woman for criticism and angrily made reference to "you people".
Alcindor received huge support in response to the spat, with #WeLoveYamiche trending on social media. She later appeared on NBC to offer a rallying cry for the resistance.
Fellow journalists also came to her defence and to champion a free press so routinely under attack from this president:
Here's Gino Spocchia on Alcindor.
Joe Biden labels Trump 'reckless and ignorant' over masks conspiracy theory
Another appalling incident from that briefing came when the president speculated, entirely without evidence as usual, that medical personnel were “misusing” protective equipment at New York's under-siege hospitals after mayor Bill de Blasio warned the city had only another week's worth of supplies to work with.
“How do you go from using 10,000 to 20,000 [masks] to 300,000?” Trump asked. “Something’s going on. Where are the masks going, are they going out the back door?”
Another appalling incident from that briefing came when the president speculated, entirely without evidence as usual, that medical personnel were “misusing” protective equipment at New York's under-siege hospitals after mayor Bill de Blasio warned the city had only another week's worth of supplies to work with.
“How do you go from using 10,000 to 20,000 [masks] to 300,000?” Trump asked. “Something’s going on. Where are the masks going, are they going out the back door?”
That was too much for Democratic front-runner Joe Biden, who issued a statement in response yesterday, calling the president “reckless and ignorant”.
“This is ridiculous and completely false,” he said. “Today’s conspiracy-mongering from our president is among the most reckless and ignorant moves he has made during this crisis, and there have been many. Lives hang in the balance.”
Biden also praised hospital staff fighting "like hell to protect our health and safety” and later issued this tweet, telling the president to get on with the job:
“This is ridiculous and completely false,” he said. “Today’s conspiracy-mongering from our president is among the most reckless and ignorant moves he has made during this crisis, and there have been many. Lives hang in the balance.”
Biden also praised hospital staff fighting "like hell to protect our health and safety” and later issued this tweet, telling the president to get on with the job:
Other members of Congress were equally damning:
Earlier on Sunday, Biden had called in to NBC's Meet the Press to say: "Look, the coronavirus is not the president fault, but the slow response, the failure to get going right away, the inability to do the things that needed to be done quickly - they are things that can’t continue.
"He should stop thinking out loud and start thinking deeply. He should start listening to the scientists before he speaks. He should listen to the health experts. He should listen to his economists.”
Gino Spocchia has more on the president's latest appalling unfounded claim.
President brags his emergency briefings getting better ratings than The Bachelor season finale
This is absolutely beyond parody from Trump:
People are dying sir.
Here's more from Andy Buncombe.
This is absolutely beyond parody from Trump:
People are dying sir.
Here's more from Andy Buncombe.
Lindsey Graham rages at Nancy Pelosi after she compares Trump to Nero and accuses his early denial of 'costing American lives'
Like Dr Fauci, the House speaker was on CNN's State of the Union yesterday and told anchor Jake Tapper: "As the president fiddles, people are dying."
Her remarks so enraged the South Carolina senator, a former Trump rival turned loyal apologist, that he called her words "the most shameful, disgusting statement by any politician in modern history."
The MAGA-verse was particularly inflamed and shared the clip of Graham on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures widely:
Here's Danielle Zoellner on Pelosi.
Like Dr Fauci, the House speaker was on CNN's State of the Union yesterday and told anchor Jake Tapper: "As the president fiddles, people are dying."
Her remarks so enraged the South Carolina senator, a former Trump rival turned loyal apologist, that he called her words "the most shameful, disgusting statement by any politician in modern history."
The MAGA-verse was particularly inflamed and shared the clip of Graham on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures widely:
Here's Danielle Zoellner on Pelosi.
California governor forced to fix 170 faulty ventilators as Trump u-turns and praises GM
Gavin Newsom had to take actions into his own hands after the government delivered a batch of botched ventilators to his state's hospitals over the weekend.
Gavin Newsom had to take actions into his own hands after the government delivered a batch of botched ventilators to his state's hospitals over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Trump - who was busy excoriating General Motors on Friday and invoked emergency powers to compel the production of the same badly-needed devices to tackle the coronavirus pandemic - has abruptly shifted gears to praise the automaker.
"General Motors is doing a fantastic job. I don't think we need to worry about General Motors," Trump said Sunday, speaking highly of the company during his media sessions. "They really seem to be working very, very hard. I think Iâm getting very good reports about General Motors."
Trump, who has been on the defensive for not moving faster to compel the production of medical equipment, invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) for the first time on Friday, saying GM was wasting time in negotiations. GM had announced earlier on Friday, however, that it would begin quickly building ventilators.
On Sunday, the company vowed to move forward and released photos of its efforts to build ventilators at its Kokomo, Indiana, plant. Its manufacturing chief, Gerald Johnson, told Reuters the company aims to produce 10,000 ventilators a month by summer.
"No later than mid-April we expect to be up and running ventilators," Johnson said, noting the ventilators will need US regulatory approval, significant testing and that the company must train over 1,000 workers to assemble them.
GM has been working with ventilator firm Ventec Life Systems, numerous auto suppliers and other ventilator firms as officials warn the United States may need tens of thousands of additional ventilators.
"We're unwavering in our focus to get this done," Johnson said.
In any earlier tweet on Friday before GM's announcement, Trump accused the automaker of wanting top dollar for its ventilators. A GM spokesman said the company is doing the project "at cost" and will not make a profit.
Johnson said the automaker is spending tens of millions on retooling costs and that if supplier retooling costs are factored in, total retooling costs were in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
GM's ventilator efforts first came to light on 18 March when White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow disclosed he had spoken to GM chief executive Mary Barra about the idea. Barra spoke to Kudlow again on Friday after Trump's criticism.
Tony Fratto, a former deputy press secretary under President George W Bush, tweeted on Friday: "you have to think if GM HADN'T stepped up to TRY to make ventilators no one would be trying to force them to make them. No oneâs banging on other random companies today."
Other automakers have said they are working to produce ventilators, masks and other medical equipment. Ford said on Friday it was moving as fast as it could to gear up its ventilator manufacturing efforts. Toyoto is working with "at least two companies that produce ventilators and respirators to help increase their capacity."
GM will also begin producing surgical masks at a plant in Michigan this week and expects to produce 50,000 a day by mid-April.
‘This is not going to get better soon’
Here's the latest from New York, where governor Andrew Cuomo has extended his executive order stating all non-essential workers must stay home for another two weeks as coronavirus cases increase.
Deaths from Covid-19 in the state are now up to 1,026, with 776 of those coming in NYC.
Cuomo said over the weekend that Trump calling a federal quarantine over his state plus New Jersey and parts of Connecticut would amount to "a declaration of war".
Danielle Zoellner has the following.
Here's the latest from New York, where governor Andrew Cuomo has extended his executive order stating all non-essential workers must stay home for another two weeks as coronavirus cases increase.
Deaths from Covid-19 in the state are now up to 1,026, with 776 of those coming in NYC.
Cuomo said over the weekend that Trump calling a federal quarantine over his state plus New Jersey and parts of Connecticut would amount to "a declaration of war".
Danielle Zoellner has the following.
Trump says he won't pay for Meghan and Harry's security detail when they relocate to California
In some rare, non-coronavirus news, the president was also on Twitter last night refusing to foot the bill for "Megxit".
Here's our report.
In some rare, non-coronavirus news, the president was also on Twitter last night refusing to foot the bill for "Megxit".
Here's our report.
Don Jr shares ill-advised meme of father as Tiger King eccentric Joe Exotic
A lot of people stuck at home right now are watching Netflix's sensational new docu-series.
Texas senator Ted Cruz, for one.
The president's eldest son doesn't appear to have joined him - and might have been well advised to before sharing a meme of his father as Joe Exotic.
Here's Greg Evans for Indy100.
A lot of people stuck at home right now are watching Netflix's sensational new docu-series.
Texas senator Ted Cruz, for one.
The president's eldest son doesn't appear to have joined him - and might have been well advised to before sharing a meme of his father as Joe Exotic.
Here's Greg Evans for Indy100.
Trump calling in to Fox and Friends to offer crisis update
The president is appearing on his favourite breakfast show imminently for what promises to be another wild tilt at the windmills of reality.
We'll be bringing you coverage of that hot mess right here.
In the meantime, here is his first tweet of the day attacking Pelosi, whom he has not actually spoken to for five months, it transpires.
The president is appearing on his favourite breakfast show imminently for what promises to be another wild tilt at the windmills of reality.
We'll be bringing you coverage of that hot mess right here.
In the meantime, here is his first tweet of the day attacking Pelosi, whom he has not actually spoken to for five months, it transpires.
President says US 'should' have enough medical supplies, attacks media for distorting relationship with governors
With #TrumpIsAnIdiot trending on Twitter, the president tells his Fox friends the US "should" have enough medical equipment and that state governors are always cordial when he speaks to them in conference calls, contrary to press reports saying otherwise.
Trump tells Steve Doocy he's listening to the advice of Dr Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx on reopening the country and now says Easter is when they're expecting the disaster to be at its height.
Trump tells Steve Doocy he's listening to the advice of Dr Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx on reopening the country and now says Easter is when they're expecting the disaster to be at its height.
Trump repeats claim US 'doing more testing than anywhere in the world'
The president is making big claims about hospital building in New York and elsewhere, claiming to have put together 2,900-bed facilities in "three or four days".
"We're now testing hundreds of thousands of people, we're now testing more than anywhere in the world," he says, even South Korea.
Says a more advanced test on its way.
When?
"Could be this week."
He's now praising American citizens for their efforts on social distancing and appears to claim they're enjoying reconnecting with their families in isolation. Hmmm.
The president is making big claims about hospital building in New York and elsewhere, claiming to have put together 2,900-bed facilities in "three or four days".
"We're now testing hundreds of thousands of people, we're now testing more than anywhere in the world," he says, even South Korea.
Says a more advanced test on its way.
When?
"Could be this week."
He's now praising American citizens for their efforts on social distancing and appears to claim they're enjoying reconnecting with their families in isolation. Hmmm.
Trump labels Pelosi 'sick puppy'
Teed up to bash the House speaker by Doocy, the president lets rip and says Pelosi "made a fool of herself" over impeachment, calls her a "disgrace" and expresses doubt about her claim to pray for him.
Teed up to bash the House speaker by Doocy, the president lets rip and says Pelosi "made a fool of herself" over impeachment, calls her a "disgrace" and expresses doubt about her claim to pray for him.
This following on from the hosts observing that people take comfort from seeing him co-operating with Andrew Cuomo!
"There's something wrong with the woman," he continues, before saying her San Francisco district is a "slum" and that the federal government might have to step in.
"My poll numbers are the highest they've ever been because of her," he froths.
Trump says Boris Johnson appealed to him for ventilators
The president says it's "er, bad" that the British prime minister has contracted Covid-19 and that he appealed to him for help sourcing ventilators for use in the UK.
After referring to him as a "good friend", we're back to bashing The Washington Post and New York Times.
The president says it's "er, bad" that the British prime minister has contracted Covid-19 and that he appealed to him for help sourcing ventilators for use in the UK.
After referring to him as a "good friend", we're back to bashing The Washington Post and New York Times.
This was suprisingly blasé.
Trump scorns Biden and suggests Andrew Cuomo would be superior Democratic presidential candidate
The president is laying into "Sleepy Joe", doubting he writes his own press statements and even somehow taking credit for Cuomo's leadership.
He also offers this brilliant insight into the situation in the Big Apple.
Now he's slamming the Green New Deal and accusing the Democrats of interfering in the $2.2trn stimulus package, accusing them of providing only "a complicated way of screwing things up".
The president is laying into "Sleepy Joe", doubting he writes his own press statements and even somehow taking credit for Cuomo's leadership.
He also offers this brilliant insight into the situation in the Big Apple.
Now he's slamming the Green New Deal and accusing the Democrats of interfering in the $2.2trn stimulus package, accusing them of providing only "a complicated way of screwing things up".
Here's John T Bennett on the president's comments about Cuomo.
Trump says hazard payment for nurses could be 'an amendment or something'
We're well past the half hour mark here and the president is rambling with the best of them.
This vagueness is not encouraging.
He's now saying his next call after this one is with Vladimir Putin, suggesting he's keeping the Kremlin on hold to talk to Fox!
He says they will talk about the Saudi-Russia oil fight.
We're well past the half hour mark here and the president is rambling with the best of them.
This vagueness is not encouraging.
He's now saying his next call after this one is with Vladimir Putin, suggesting he's keeping the Kremlin on hold to talk to Fox!
He says they will talk about the Saudi-Russia oil fight.
President insists he's 'not the soft guy' in relations with Russia
Trump is currently lecturing a confused-looking Brian Kilmeade on the Second World War in response to a question on keeping open dialogue with America's enemies.
He says this on his relations with Putin:
Trump is currently lecturing a confused-looking Brian Kilmeade on the Second World War in response to a question on keeping open dialogue with America's enemies.
He says this on his relations with Putin:
Trump says we should know if hydroxychloroquine works 'in the next three days'
A penny for Doc Fauci's thoughts right now...
The president says his son Barron is "not unhappy" about missing school and taking lessons online but refuses to rise to Doocy's bait by endorsing the suggestion that he and Melania are "watching Fox Nation all day".
Ainsley Earhardt ends with this toadying question: "How can we pray for you?"
And that's it!
A penny for Doc Fauci's thoughts right now...
The president says his son Barron is "not unhappy" about missing school and taking lessons online but refuses to rise to Doocy's bait by endorsing the suggestion that he and Melania are "watching Fox Nation all day".
Ainsley Earhardt ends with this toadying question: "How can we pray for you?"
And that's it!
