Westwood One (WBAP/KLIF) – President Trump’s push to get the U.S. economy back on a fast track is expected to front and center today, even when some experts warn social distancing and shutdown of many businesses should continue for as much as a couple months.
President Trump says he wants to reopen the country for business in weeks, not months, and he claims, without evidence, that continued closures could result in more deaths than the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said Monday that “we have to open our country because that causes problems that, in my opinion, could be far bigger problems.”
Trump acknowledged there are trade-offs but said that if closures stretch on for months, there would be “probably more death from that than anything that we’re talking about with respect to the virus.”
The comments were further evidence that Trump has grown impatient with the pandemic, even before it has reached its expected peak.
Health experts have made clear that unless Americans continue to dramatically limit social interaction – staying home from work, isolating themselves – the number of infections will overwhelm the health care system. But pushback is growing as the economic impact snaps into focus.
Q: "Where is Dr. Fauci right now? Why is he not at this briefing?"
President Trump: I was just with him…he's at the task force meeting right now."
Q: "Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon?"
President Trump: "He doesn't not agree." pic.twitter.com/NC6CkyDmVN
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020
