Donald Trump still wants to ‘reopen’ the economy at the end of this month

Members Of The Coronavirus Task Force Hold Press Briefing

While I am in isolation for the most part, I’ve ventured out to the more high-traffic areas around town here in Virginia over the past month, like the two closest grocery stores, both of which are in shopping centers with fast food joints, eat-in restaurants and various businesses and liquor stores. I’m somewhat shocked by how busy these shopping centers are. While they aren’t AS high-traffic as they were pre-corona, there are definitely more people out and about than you would think, especially given that our governor issued a shelter-at-home order a week ago. I get that people are concerned about supporting local businesses, plus there are groceries to be bought and prescriptions to be filled and nuggets to eat. Still, at the same time experts and politicians are telling us that the new few weeks are going to be rough, they’re also making plans to restart the economy eventually:

How long can we keep this up? It is still very early in the U.S. effort to snuff a lethal pandemic by shutting down much of the economy. But there is a growing question — from workers, the White House, corporate boardrooms and small businesses on the brink — that hangs over what is essentially a war effort against a virus that has already killed more than 9,000 Americans. There is no good answer yet, in part because we don’t even have the data needed to formulate one.

Essentially, economists say, there won’t be a fully functioning economy again until people are confident that they can go about their business without a high risk of catching the virus.

“Our ability to reopen the economy ultimately depends on our ability to better understand the spread and risk of the virus,” said Betsey Stevenson, a University of Michigan economist who worked on the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama. “It’s also quite likely that we will need to figure out how to reopen the economy with the virus remaining a threat.”

Public health experts are beginning to make predictions about when coronavirus infection rates will peak. Economists are calculating when the cost of continuing to shutter restaurants, shopping malls and other businesses — a move that has already pushed some 10 million Americans into unemployment, with millions more on the way — will outweigh the savings from further efforts to slow the virus once the infection curve has flattened out.

Government officials are setting competing targets. President Trump has pushed his expected date of reopening the economy to the end of April. “We have to get back to work,” he said in a briefing on Saturday. “We have to open our country again. We don’t want to be doing this for months and months and months. We’re going to open our country again. This country wasn’t meant for this.”

Some governors have set much more conservative targets, like Ralph Northam of Virginia, who canceled the remainder of the school year and imposed a shelter-at-home order through June 10. Other states, like Florida, only recently agreed to shut activity down but have set more aggressive targets — April 30, in the case of the Sunshine State — to restart it.

[From The NY Times]

Many of us are nearing our one-month anniversary of Conscious Isolation (sorry to Goop) and yes, it does feel like there is some itchiness. The data issue is a giant question around all of this, because the data is WRONG. There are hundreds of thousands of people in America who have the virus or had the virus and didn’t get officially tested or officially treated. The science and data is now and was always bad. So what now? I don’t think we should let Trump determine when the economy “reopens.” I think it will have to be the governors, right? And DeSantis is dreaming if he thinks Florida is going to be open for business by the end of this month.

Also, I’m 100% positive that Trump just did his inane press conference yesterday evening because the Queen’s speech was so well-received.

Members Of The Coronavirus Task Force Hold Press Briefing

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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85 Responses to “Donald Trump still wants to ‘reopen’ the economy at the end of this month”

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  1. Erinn says:

    Moronic piece of trash. As a Canadian my absolute hate of this man has done nothing but grow this weekend – to depths I didn’t think possible.

    • kellebelle says:

      He’s worried about his OWN financial woes, not the country. Just as Joseph Kennedy didn’t want the U.S. entering WWII, because of his OWN interests. “This country wasn’t meant for this.” Of course it wasn’t! Moron.

    • Julie says:

      Here here! I have found myself becoming so devastatingly frustrated and afraid on behalf of my loved ones who are at extreme risk. At the suggestion of a friend, my partner and I decided to watch Train to Busan to help distract ourselves. That was a MISTAKE (I kid). No spoilers, but there’s a character/characters that remind me of the President and his cronies. Surprisingly, despite seeming like a basic zombie flick, the movie made me cry 3 times which ended up being strangely cathartic.
      South Korea: excellent at handling pandemics and making thrillers that take place on trains

    • Ali says:

      As a follow Canadian, I confirm this message is correct.

    • Nic919 says:

      He blocked masks from being sent to Ontario health workers at the border. A total monster.

    • Mrs.Krabapple says:

      I’m an American, and I doubt any non-American could hate Trump as much as we do. This is OUR country he is ruining and sh!tting on.

  2. Lauren says:

    Good luck with that thought Don.

    • Rapunzel says:

      This will end up being like his Easter promise… he mentions it, people argue about it, then the medical experts explain, via pop up books with one syllable words, that it will get people killed and that will hurt his reelection chances. Then he gets to pretend that he never really meant what he said when he said it.

      Ultimately, he’s talking to keep the stock market from tanking by making it look like the end is in sight, but when push comes to shove, he’s really got no power because the Governors will be forced to protect their states or suffer the consequences. When it becomes clear nobody wants to listen to him (cause he’s crazy and stupid and evil), he’ll (try to) gaslight everyone into thinking he didn’t say what nobody listened to.

      • Swack says:

        It will be his “aspirational” goal just like Easter was.

      • Lauren says:

        In Italy we have been in quarantine since the 11 of March and our prime minister said that maybe for the 13th of April they may partly lift the restrictions. He said they are hoping really for the 4th of May. This is us and as of this moment we have over 200,000 cases less than the US. Don can only dream and hope before the US is out of it by the end of the month, but fat chance. Sorry to say that it’ll get way worse before it gets slightly better.

      • Desdemona says:

        In Portugal, we’ve been under State of Emergency since the 16th March, and it’s still ongoing. Where I live (it’s an autonomous region), we’re in lockdown till the 30th april, minimum…. And it’s easier to control the ins and outs of people because it’s an archipelago… Trump is a capitalist moron…

  3. Rapunzel says:

    He’s more worried about his rich NFL buddies making money off the masses, but doesn’t realize they’ll be nobody to make money off of if he gets everyone killed.

    • Esmom says:

      Yeah, it really seems like the death toll to him doesn’t matter a single bit. People are just numbers and his inability to express even a shred of concern has never been more evident. He’s an utterly broken human and literally the worst person we could have in this position. I’ll never not be astonished, dismayed and infuriated at seeing him in this role.

      • Scal says:

        @esmom people dying mean nothing to him. After all this is a guy who was showing models about how 100k-200k people might die said it was ‘pretty good’ and then cracked a joke about boinking models.

        There is no bottom. It’s all about attention/ratings and which twitter feed or news person he’s following that day. There’s no consistency. The federal government which is supposed to lead and set the example is running around like chickens all to the shouts of ‘see! We told you government doesn’t work!” It’s so frustrating.

    • holly hobby says:

      As I keep saying to anyone who would listen: dead people do not buy things or keep the economy going.

    • april says:

      I agree and how sick is that! Jam stadiums to make money for sports teams. Today on the news they said China is still at high risk for infections to spread.

      • (TheOG) jan90067 says:

        At yet today, on the CNN, they showed vid from China where tourist places are PACKED, literally like sardines in a can, now that lockdown has ended. INSANE!! Especially considering reports (from So Korea, Singapore, etc) that even once you had the virus, it can lay dormant in your cells, and make a comeback!!

  4. Lightpurple says:

    And buy hydroxychloroquine by the bucket loads because, apparently, the entire Trump/Kushner clan has massive amounts of stock in it.

    He and Pence were asked yesterday, in light of Boris Johnson’s hospitalization, why they were not taking precautions to guarantee the continuation of government should one of them become ill, like not attending the same press conference and using the same microphone on a stage with a dozen other people and the answer was: “well, it’s a small stage.” We don’t need these damn press conferences while he reads off lists of small amounts of equipment being sent to places and then praises himself and governors who fellate him and then bashes governors who won’t kowtow. Azar’s office can send out a daily press release with that information. He and Pence should not be in the same place at the same time. He should not be advocating people take drugs that have not been approved for a specific purpose by the FDA and lying about side effects, as he did yesterday. And doctors, not Navarro, should be answering questions about treatments and drug trials

    • Esmom says:

      There’s literally not a single thing he and this inept administration can do right.

    • Rapunzel says:

      He cut off Fauci before Fauci could nay say his bragging about hydroxychloroquine, which is insane and irresponsible. It’s clear he has stock somewhere… and also wants to get credit for finding a “cure.”

      Jesus take the wheel.

    • Vava says:

      I don’t mind seeing Trump and Pence in the same place. Just keep Nancy Pelosi, RGB, Fauci, and other national treasures away from them.

      • whatWHAT? says:

        yeah, this is what I was thinking. let Cheeto Satan and Mother’s Husband hang out together, in close proximity, with no precautions like face masks any distancing. let them hang out in their stage full of stupidity.

        if both of them get sick, and become incapacitated (a girl can hope), and can’t perform the duties of the office of the President, then Speaker Pelosi takes over.

    • holly hobby says:

      Don’t give him ideas. They should all be in the same room in close quarters at the same time. Evil should be contained.

      Take that meat puppet Jared with them too.

    • (TheOG) jan90067 says:

      LET THEM be in the same place. If they’re both taken out with the virus, Nancy Pelosi is next in line!

      Sadly, this walking pieces of human 💩 are getting tested right and left, as are anyone who “will come into contact” with them. And you can die, waiting for one.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Did Trump consult Coronavirus about this?

  6. Stephanie says:

    Meanwhile he has the benefit of everyone that comes in contact with him having a 15 minute Coronavirus test. Must be nice to be so protected.

    • holly hobby says:

      Not protected. They can catch it. His chances of survival are slim to none.

  7. KellyRyan says:

    Looking forward to the day when he is out of office and SDNY goes after him full force. I have five medical professionals in my family, spoke with one in NM for an hour yesterday. She said we can look for some relief in May and June with a resurgence in July. Covid-19 is cyclical. My husband shops at Costo after seeing the dentist once per month. Employees are not under law in CA to wear gloves and masks and do not in Bakersfield.

    • Swack says:

      My daughter, her family and I have a trip planned to Biloxi and NOLA in July. She has already cancelled the NOLA part because it’s a hotspot now. People need to stay the course right now.

      • Jerusha says:

        Biloxi is a hotspot, too, relative to population numbers. Stay away. I’m 45 miles east of Biloxi, just across the Alabama line, so I get the news here. Mobile starting to catch up(128 right now) and we’re bordered by the FL panhandle and MS coast where it’s multiplying fast.

      • Swack says:

        Thanks Jerusha. She’s keeping a good eye on it.

    • Jerusha says:

      Looking forward to the day he’s in prison awaiting execution, along with jared.

      • whatWHAT? says:

        add 45’s three criminal spawn, too.

      • Lightpurple says:

        And Ivanka, people always overlook Ivanka. She is just as responsible as the two of them. Very likely she played a huge role in those decisions two years and three years ago to rip the CDC and the pandemic response teams apart. She agrees with every decision he makes and gives her input. And having small children at home didn’t save Ethel Rosenberg.

  8. Becks1 says:

    Meh, he’s an ahole and stupid and all that, so I don’t give these kinds of comments that much credence. the governors have shut us down. I think if he issued an executive order or something overriding the states, it would be a massive showdown in the supreme court and could end up being a huge blow to states rights, which the conservatives don’t want in the long run.

    But I hate his press conferences and cant understand why people watch.

  9. Jess says:

    This is why so many people aren’t taking it seriously, what he’s doing is dangerous and deadly and I’m shocked anyone still supports him at this point. He’s fkng tweeting about election bullshit and retweeting liberal cut downs, it’s so unprofessional and childish even by his standards. People are DYING and out of work and he’s not doing a thing.

    • Kelly says:

      It doesn’t surprise me, personally, but it does depress me. Bolsonaro has also kept a sturdy support base in Brazil. They aren’t politicians to their supporters, they are not the president they voted for. They are cult leaders. The reality they dictate is the reality they perceive.

      What really worries me is that the economic crisis is inevitable at this point, and with that the crime rates, poverty and unemployment will go up. And those are the kind of fears that gave us leaders like Trump in the first place. Right now you’re reading a lot of think pieces blaming capitalism for this pandemic but trust me – people will forget about them really fast. The economic consequences of the pandemic will last much longer than the pandemic itself.

  10. Swack says:

    He would not allow Fauci to answer a question on hydroxychloroquin yesterday. We also need to be aware of things Trump is doing that is not related to Covid-19. Friday night he fired the IG who handed the whistle blowers report to Congress that started the impeachment inquiry. Even though the IG did what he was supposed to do. Mark Meadows is immediately Chief of Staff. Changing Chief of Staff in the middle of the could well make things worse. Trump is more and more putting yes people into prominent roles

    • Rapunzel says:

      He also insisted that Crozier on USS Roosevelt be fired for trying to protect the crew on his ship. See the support he got from his people. They won’t forget Trump screwed their commander and them…

      Trump really shouldn’t make enemies of the military.

  11. Ferdinand says:

    About masks, this seems to be the conversation right now. Here in Mexico at first we were told there was no necessity in wearing them. Only sick people should be wearing them at home in order to not spread the virus, that we should leave mask for healthcare workers. Such guidelines where as well told by the WHO.

    Now they’re saying that although nothing is proven, wearing masks could be an aid in avoiding getting bathe virus. But now they’re nowhere to be found. Drugstores, Amazon, supermarkets are out of masks. And probably they’ll be for a long time. I wa able to get to packs of surgical masks, with 5 each pack
    And I decided to buy homemade masks for my entire family, I’ll leave those surgical masks in case someone comes down with covid. Since medical masks are more reliable.

    • Jerusha says:

      Check youtube. There are lots of DIY videos on homemade masks. I posted several sites last week on CB. They use simple to get items & many don’t even need sewing.

    • KellyRyan says:

      Bandana masks that do not need to be sewn. Masks made from underwire bras and from Kirby vacuum cleaner bags. All can be found online.

    • Case says:

      I feel like they told us not to buy masks as to not take away from the already dwindling supply for medical staff. Medical professionals obviously need it to most, but I feel like we were lied to, and that’s really disturbing. It seemed like common sense to wear a mask no matter what right now, but they denied it. Ugh.

      • AMM says:

        I agree. I totally support the medical field getting first dibs and realize that there was no real way to stop people from hoarding them if they said to wear them (which people did anyway). But, it was common sense that if everyone was wearing a mask in public, than the risk of someone coughing/sneezing/spitting on another person or item they would touch was seriously lowered. And it helps prevent you from touching your nose and mouth until you can take the mask off and wash hands. It made perfect sense to be wearing them the whole time and they did flat out lie.

  12. Eleonor says:

    I am so sorry for you, you don’t deserve this.

  13. Jerusha says:

    Please, please, please never wear a mask, Covidiot-in-Chief. And go lick a toilet and several doorknobs while you’re at it.

  14. ChillyWilly says:

    This POS stood in front of our nation last night and did an infomercial for Hydrocloroquine. He said the Feds have stockpiled millions of doses of the drug and that even though nothing has been proven as to It’s efficacy, we should all consider taking it. He would not let Dr. Fauci answer reporters questions about the drug and screamed at reporters who tried. die
    It was disturbing. Why is he pushing this drug so hard? He has.to be making money off of it in some way. Why did he destroy Obama’s pandemic program a few months before the virus hit China? There is something VERY nefarious happening. It’s beyond incompetence at this point.

    • Jerusha says:

      He also said “What’d you have to lose.” Um, maybe your life. What a shithead.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      He, his whole family and cronies are making sh!t loads of money off this pandemic – its why they are hijacking PPE supplies. To sell to states and other countries at a massively marked up price with the money going into his pocket.

      They are bleeding the US treasury dry – its all going into the Trump pocket as well as to their crony business partners. If he’s not out in Jan the US is going to be so broke it might never recover. He’s been declared bankrupt 5 times, he’s going to bankrupt the US.

  15. S808 says:

    Hearty fuck you to everyone that voted for him.

    • laura-j says:

      And a double fuck you who were into the “bern it down” and didn’t vote because they wanted to create chaos. How’s that working for you now? (Not you S808 You are lovely. 🙂 )

  16. (TheOG) jan90067 says:

    Italy has FINALLY seen a downward curve in their trajectory. If Tangerine Twitler and his twisted sycophants have their way and try and “open” things up, this will NEVER end. As it is, we are having trouble with these evangelical and religious idiots who feel they are Ridin’ With Jesus and Meandering with Moses, and can’t get sick as they pack in shoulder to shoulder in churches and temples (after all… those mega-mansions and Gulf Stream jets don’t pay for themselves!).

    Someone just posted a video of some sicko unscrewing soda bottles in a market, and LICKING it, drinking and spitting it back in, then screwing the cap back on, and putting it back on the shelf! WTAF?????

    • ME says:

      I swear super religious people are some of the dumbest motherf*ckers out there.

      I remember last summer there were videos going viral of morons going in to groceries stores and licking ice cream and putting it back. Seems like that trend never died? I have seen recent videos of teens going in to grocery stores and coughing on fruits and veggies. These a$$holes have no problem showing their faces and acting as if it’s “funny”.

      • Swack says:

        One store, don’t remember where, had to throw at $35,000 worth of food because some women coughed purposely on dress food and packaged food.

      • Jerusha says:

        It was a woman in PA, who apparently had been a thorn in the community’s side for years, she was well known to law enforcement.

    • holly hobby says:

      Good then we can get rid of the Religious Taliban.

  17. AnnaKist says:

    Hoh hoh hoh! That dead possum on his head that he calls “Hair”. I wonder if he thinks about, or even realises, how ridiculous he looks. He can’t even share the bloody mess off because what’s under there would make babies cry and startle the dogs.

  18. (TheOG) jan90067 says:

    I’m getting a note my comment failed to load, so if this is a duplicate, I apologize!

    Italy has FINALLY seen a downward curve in their trajectory. If Tangerine Twitler and his twisted sycophants have their way and try and “open” things up, this will NEVER end. As it is, we are having trouble with these evangelical and religious idiots who feel they are Ridin’ With Jesus and Meandering with Moses, and can’t get sick as they pack in shoulder to shoulder in churches and temples (after all… those mega-mansions and Gulf Stream jets don’t pay for themselves!).

    Someone just posted a video of some sicko unscrewing soda bottles in a market, and LICKING it, drinking and spitting it back in, then screwing the cap back on, and putting it back on the shelf! WTAF?????

    ETA: Just got this…and thought I’d leave this here…for a laugh (which we desperately need now!). Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, with George Takai on CBS This Morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckc4R2TET6o

  19. ariel says:

    Not the point, I know, but even if you must talk about the orange baby agent of our destruction, how about more pleasant header photos that don’t have him in them.
    Please?
    Puppies or kittens?

  20. Veronica says:

    Really looking forward to our inevitable second wave because of how unevenly the response has been across the states. 9_9

    The fact that people watched all of this go down in real time and still think it’s going well is mind blowing to me. Literally, who watches people from the same administration actively fight over details in the situation room and thinks they’ve got it together is beyond delusional.

    • Kelly says:

      That’s what I’m worried about as well. Our total national figures are absolutely worthless when you watch what’s going on state by state. I think it’s very irresponsible to be talking about a national “peak” when every state is at a different level of the pandemic and reacting so differently. The difference in fatality rates and tests made is staggering.

  21. Ali says:

    I tune in to see Cuomo speak every morning. His belief that we can start to reopen the country once we can quickly and accurately identify who does and doesn’t have the virus makes sense to me.

  22. Cate says:

    This is nuts. Italy has been shut down for a month and are extending. China admitted to needing a full two months and we really now have no idea just how “under control” it is there (plus they are not fully “re-opened”). Even the freaking UK admits that it will likely take until October to get back to “normal”.

    I shouldn’t be, but I am constantly surprised at how utterly determined he is to undercut the advice of experts. The shit he pulled with the mask recommendation in particular (I’m not going to wear one!!!!) just really reinforced that we have a toddler running the country. Nobody was asking him specifically to wear a mask, I think most people would not expect the president to be giving briefings while masked, who exactly does it harm for people to wear masks more often (nobody), and yet…he just HAD to explicitly say he would not be following this advice. He’s beyond idiotic.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Am in the UK and its likely that the lockdown will continue for at least another month – the gov told us today that they won’t relax the lockdown until the peak has been reached and they don’t know when that is going to happen – any ease on the lockdown restrictions will be gradually lifted however there will be a 2nd wave of the virus during winter. Italy and Spain have only just reached their peak – Italy’s lockdown started 2 weeks before the UK’s (and this is wk 3 for us), not sure when Spain’s started.

  23. adastraperaspera says:

    The Trump family are money launderers. That is their profession. You have to have a functioning economy with massive purchases and thriving transportation system to hide the transactions and shipping. The corrupt CEOs of media organizations (like Zucker and Murdoch) continue to help hide this from the public.

  24. Shelby says:

    I currently take Hydroxychloroquine for many autoimmune illnesses and I am terrified I will lose access to my medication. Thankfully I am in Canada and haven’t had difficulty yet but I think it’s coming. My rheumatologist continues to remind me to be very careful on dosage because it is based on weight. If I gain or lose I must inform her. We are going to see cases of Covid go down but people will be dying from Hydroxychloroquine overdoses. This President needs to be voted out please!

    • Thea says:

      People are already dying. This couple took some cause they heard the idiot talked about it and died.

  25. Case says:

    I worried so much about his Easter comment for nothing. He talks out his ass and ultimately, we’ll be protected (THANK GOD) by our governors and medical professionals until it is truly safe to resume business as usual (which I don’t think will be ‘usual’ for a very long time even when things do reopen, tbh).

  26. ShAronk says:

    How in gods name can anyone listen to this idiotic cretin ? My friend in Georgia dared me to give one instance where he lied. Are you f —get kidding me.
    The fox news contingent goads him on with their praise, it’s sick.
    Step aside let the experts talk, I’m so frustrated and scared I’m beginning to get more hostile towards him . god help the USA, we must get rid of him in nov.

  27. Cee says:

    My country has been in mandatory lockdown for the past 20 days. Our economy will probably tank, which is why the Estate is giving out benefits to some groups of the population. However, this isn’t enough. Hopefully the quarantine means we have delayed our peak and thus the health system is better prepared to fight this beast of a virus. Or at least we will get the virus in stages and not collapse our HS.

    I truly believe Trump has killed his reelection. What’s happening in the US will surpass what happened (and continues to happen) in Italy and Spain. My American family and friends are desolate and so angry at Trump because they can clearly see how badly he handled the situation by minimising it and pretending it’s a mild flu virus.

    • (TheOG) jan90067 says:

      My friend’s son (well to do, who lives in a VERY heavily republiTHUG population here in So. Cal (Orange County)) thinks Twitler is doing a “good job” (!!!!!! I KNOW!!!!!), and the ONLY way he wouldn’t vote for him in Nov. was if he opened the country by Easter. AND HE IS NOT ALONE IN THINKING THIS WAY…THIS scares the ever-lovin’ 💩 out of me!!!

  28. Maida says:

    Trump can’t stop live-streaming his childish ambivalence because he does not understand what leadership actually is. He is incapable of acting like an adult and giving the country the encouragement needed to weather difficulty. It’s not like it’s news that he’s essentially a 70-something toddler — it’s just extremely depressing confirmation.

  29. Liz version 700 says:

    Hey can’t open what he didn’t close. He will however, try to blame the governors for trying to save lives when the economy comes up in his re-election. His behavior has been so awful.

  30. Digital Unicorn says:

    The UK PM is now in intensive care after his condition worsened, the Foreign Sec Dominic Raab is now effectively in charge.

    I may not like BoJo or his politics but I would not wish this on anyone.

  31. naomipaige99 says:

    He wants to reopen the economy , because he’s only worried about his and his families finances. F^ck the rest of us!!!. He doesn’t really care about us!!!! It’s time the DT supporters wake up and realize that! When you people are no longer useful to him, he’s gonna give you a hearty F^ck you like he’s doing to the rest of the the country!

  32. Allergy says:

    Did we really have to have a shit president right now?

  33. Leah says:

    He’s drunk.

    This is going to last way past April.

  34. AMM says:

    WA is supposedly at its peak today, according to some charts. And yet we are still closed through at least may 4th and my school district just made the very expected announcement that school would not reopen this year. WA was the initial hotzone for this and are expected to decline first. So if we arent gonna be open by the end of the month, I dont see how the whole nation will.