Trump news: President doubles down on support of controversial drug as Fauci sits out coronavirus briefing amid tensions with White House
President defies health officials as he urges to open economy as it nears end of two-week shutdown
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Your support makes all the difference.The US now has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, as New York mayor Bill de Blasio implores Donald Trump for more federal assistance and warns that the city’s 11 public hospitals only have enough medical supplies to last for the next week.
The Senate reached yet another stalemate over a $2trn (£1.7trn) economic stimulus package on Monday after Democrats have argued that the Republican-led bill amounts to a “slush fund” for the president and his corporate allies in its present form.
Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell hit back, saying that “our nation cannot afford a game of chicken" as both sides moved to reassure the public that they are “very close” to coming to an agreement on the bailout.
The president has meanwhile continued to push to re-open the US from its effective shutdown within weeks, rather than months, as the White House approaches the end of a 15-day shuttering next week.
He said: "Our country wasn't built to be shut down."
After arguing that business as usual should continue in the coming weeks to keep the economy moving, he said that doctors in his administration haven't "endorsed" easing those restrictions but he claimed "they're OK with it".
Asked whether any health officials agree that guidelines should be eased within a week, the president said: "If it were up to the doctors, they may say, 'Let's keep it shut down. Let's shut down the entire world.'"
The president also promoted the use of a controversial drug that will begin trials this week to determine its efficacy combatting the virus. A man in Arizona died after trying to recreate the drug from an aquarium cleaner, days after Mr Trump had contradicted his own health officials in declaring it a "game changer" against the virus.
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Treasury secretary pleads with small businesses not to fire employees
Steve Mnuchin called into Fox Business morning with this message to viewers:
"All small businesses: We will have an immediate mechanism. That’s close to 50 per cent of the US economy for workers. We are encouraging small businesses, make sure you hire people back. If you haven’t let people go, don’t let people go, because we are providing you necessary liquidity and we’re going to get that money out fast."
Mitch McConnell attacks Democrats for treating stimulus bill as 'juicy political opportunity'
Here's the latest from the Senate floor as the corona bill discussions continue:
US and Iran in Twitter war of words over coronavirus
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Washington of creating the coronavirus on Twitter on Sunday and questioned why the rest of the world would trust America with creating a cure.
An indignant Mike Pompeo has responded accordingly:
Trump adviser: Economic damage 'too great' to keep business closed
Donald Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow told Fox New that the economic damage from closures to combat the coronavirus is "just too great" after the president said on Twitter that "WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!"
Kudlow doesn't explain what those "trade-offs" will be to meet the White House's apparent frustration and Trump's eagerness to keep the economy moving despite confirmed cases surging past 40,000 and World Health Organization warnings that the pandemic is accelerating.
Less than a month ago, Kudlow claimed that the US had "contained" the virus and it would not become an “economic tragedy".
WHO: 'The pandemic is 'accelerating'
The World Health Organization reports that it took more than a month from the first reported coronavirus case to reach 100,000 global cases. It took just 11 days for another 100,000 cases and only four days to reach another 300,000.
Pentagon: Military field hospitals could be deployed this week
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said military officials are planning to deploy health workers and field hospitals to New York City and Seattle this week, pending approval from FEMA.
He said: "We are looking at hospitals and equipment and medical professionals, and my aim is to get them out this week."
Joe Biden: 'Trump keeps saying that he’s a wartime president. Well, start to act like one.'
In his latest campaign broadcast from Delaware, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden criticised Donald Trump's response to coronavirus, saying that the president has used daily White House briefings for "political attacks or to lash out at the press.”
He said: "Trump keeps saying that he’s a wartime president. Well, start to act like one ... To paraphrase a frustrated President Lincoln, writing to an inactive General McClellan during the Civil War, ‘If you don’t want to use the army, may I borrow it?'”
Up to 1,000 inmates to be released from New Jersey prisons under coronavirus threat
Chief Justice Stuart Rabner of the New Jersey Supreme Court ordered the release of hundreds of inmates in the state to reduce jail populations and "mitigate risks" of coronavirus infections.
The order impacts inmates who are detained for probation violations, municipal court convictions, disorderly persons offense, and fourth-degree or petty crimes. The order goes into effect on Tuesday.
Inmates who have tested positive for the virus will not be released.
The order follows pressure from health workers and advocates across the US warning of potential mass emergencies in prison systems that are exposed to the virus.
Rand Paul: 'The broader the testing and the less finger-pointing we have, the better'
In a lengthy statement, Senator Rand Paul — who announced he had a positive coronavirus test on Sunday — says that more Americans should be tested for Covid-19 if even they're not showing symptoms, after he was roundly criticised for maintaining his regular schedule, including swimming, after he waited for results.
He said: "For those who want to criticise me for lack of quarantine, realise that if the rules on testing had been followed to a T, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol."
His statement follows attacks from other lawmakers at the capitol as well as doctors who have said that the senator, who also is an MD, has "violated his basic oath of being a physician" by endangering other people.
Virgina closes all schools through rest of academic year
Virginia Governor Ralph Northram has closed all Virginia schools "at least" through this academic year.
While schools across the US have closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, some school districts have definitively closed for the rest of the academic year, which ends later this spring.
Kansas will keep schools closed through the rest of the academic year, while Florida has canceled all testing for the year. While some states have proposed make-up days, many have warned parents and staff that the closures could remain until the fall.
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