US President Donald Trump on Thursday pressed for a broader reopening of the United States, in light of European nations lifting lockdown and COVID-19-related job losses taking a heavy toll on the US economy.
Trump on Saturday had said that he will override state governors and force them into reopening churches and other places of worship saying that America at this time needed more prayer, not less.
President Trump, who, from the beginning of the pandemic has been talking of a fast reopening of the economy, on May 12, said that his administration has “met the moment” and “prevailed” on coronavirus testing, even as the White House itself became a potent symbol of the risk facing Americans everywhere and belatedly ordered everyone who enters the West Wing to wear a mask.
As of on May 21, 38.6 million Americans filed for unemployment. As summer approaches, more stores are opening and beaches are welcoming tourists, even as the national number for confirmed cases crossed 1.72 million and the death toll has crossed 100,000.
Trump, it looks like is more concerned about the upcoming elections in November, and hence hopes to do everything in his power to keep the economy afloat.
As per health experts, however, the battle is far from over and the number of cases could escalate if lockdown measures are eased without being cautious. Experts have also said that prematurely reopening the economy could hurt the economy more in the long run.
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“We did the right thing but we now want to get going... you'll break the country if you don't,” he was quoted as telling to African-American leaders in Michigan, a key election battleground state in an AFP report.
Trump has kept up a steady drumbeat of criticism against China, where the outbreak erupted last year, blaming its ‘incompetence’ for the extent of the global crisis. Trump on Wednesday also congratulated himself on “great reviews on our handling of Covid-19” amid his opposition’s criticism of Trump handling of the pandemic and rising tensions between the US and China for alleged lack of transparency on the latter’s part regarding the origin of the virus.
“For all of the political hacks out there, if I hadn’t done my job well, & early, we would have lost 1 1/2 to 2 Million People, as opposed to the 100,000 plus that looks like will be the number. That’s 15 to 20 times more than we will lose. I shut down entry from China very early!” Trump said.
“Nobody in 50 years has been WEAKER on China than Sleepy Joe Biden. He was asleep at the wheel. He gave them EVERYTHING they wanted, including rip-off Trade Deals. I am getting it all back!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
Democrats, in turn, attacked Trump for his cosy interactions with China’s leader Xi Jinping and said that Trump “rolled over for the Chinese” and “let in 40,000 from China into America” during the pandemic.
Trump loyalists in the meantime have come up with punitive legislations aimed at China including freezing assets, imposing sanctions, travel restrictions, and seeking restitution from China for losses incurred due to COVID-19.
