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| Trump says country will reopen 'sooner than people think' – as it happened | Trump says country will reopen 'sooner than people think' – as it happened |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| President strikes optimistic tone at press conference as he hails Boris Johnson | President strikes optimistic tone at press conference as he hails Boris Johnson |
| Live reporting on the coronavirus in the US continues on Tuesday’s blog: | |
| We’re ending our coverage on the US blog today. You can continue to follow coronavirus news updates on the Guardian’s global blog. Some key events in the US: | We’re ending our coverage on the US blog today. You can continue to follow coronavirus news updates on the Guardian’s global blog. Some key events in the US: |
| New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state may be starting to reach the apex of its crisis. But Cuomo extended the state’s “stay at home” order until 29 April, emphasizing this is not the time to be lax about social distancing. | New York governor Andrew Cuomo said the state may be starting to reach the apex of its crisis. But Cuomo extended the state’s “stay at home” order until 29 April, emphasizing this is not the time to be lax about social distancing. |
| The US coronavirus death toll has surpassed 10,000. More than 350,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, and health experts have said this could be the worst week for the country yet. | The US coronavirus death toll has surpassed 10,000. More than 350,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, and health experts have said this could be the worst week for the country yet. |
| Trump said he asked US pharmaceutical companies working on experimental coronavirus drugs to approach Boris Johnson’s doctors and offer their help, after it emerged that the British prime minister was in intensive care. | Trump said he asked US pharmaceutical companies working on experimental coronavirus drugs to approach Boris Johnson’s doctors and offer their help, after it emerged that the British prime minister was in intensive care. |
| The Pentagon leadership crisis over a US aircraft carrier has intensified after the acting navy secretary called the ship’s ousted captain “too naive or too stupid” to be in command. | The Pentagon leadership crisis over a US aircraft carrier has intensified after the acting navy secretary called the ship’s ousted captain “too naive or too stupid” to be in command. |
| Trump said New York and New Jersey coronavirus patients would be admitted to the Navy hospital ship Comfort, which is moored alongside New York City. | Trump said New York and New Jersey coronavirus patients would be admitted to the Navy hospital ship Comfort, which is moored alongside New York City. |
| The Dow closed up about 1,600 points, even as health experts warned this could be the country’s worst week yet since the coronavirus crisis started. | The Dow closed up about 1,600 points, even as health experts warned this could be the country’s worst week yet since the coronavirus crisis started. |
| Data out today in numerous US regions suggested that black Americans were disproportionately suffering and dying from coronavirus. | Data out today in numerous US regions suggested that black Americans were disproportionately suffering and dying from coronavirus. |
| The Wisconsin supreme court ordered the state to move ahead with in-person voting on Tuesday, hours after Governor Tony Evers called it off. | The Wisconsin supreme court ordered the state to move ahead with in-person voting on Tuesday, hours after Governor Tony Evers called it off. |
| Trump and Biden talked on the phone about coronavirus. | Trump and Biden talked on the phone about coronavirus. |
| Trump’s daily briefing was characteristically filled with falsehoods and misleading statements. | Trump’s daily briefing was characteristically filled with falsehoods and misleading statements. |
| Trump on call with Biden: ‘We had a wonderful conversation’ | Trump on call with Biden: ‘We had a wonderful conversation’ |
| Sitting in the White House briefing room on Monday, I noted that Donald Trump struck an unusually genial tone as he described a phone call with his likely presidential election rival, Joe Biden, whom he usually refers to as “Sleepy Joe”. | Sitting in the White House briefing room on Monday, I noted that Donald Trump struck an unusually genial tone as he described a phone call with his likely presidential election rival, Joe Biden, whom he usually refers to as “Sleepy Joe”. |
| At the Coronavirus Task Force briefing, the president said: “We had a really wonderful, warm conversation. It was a nice conversation. We talked about pretty much this [coronavirus]. | At the Coronavirus Task Force briefing, the president said: “We had a really wonderful, warm conversation. It was a nice conversation. We talked about pretty much this [coronavirus]. |
| “He gave me his point of view, and I fully understood that, and we just had a very friendly conversation. It lasted probably 15 minutes and it was really good, really nice. So I appreciated his calling.” | “He gave me his point of view, and I fully understood that, and we just had a very friendly conversation. It lasted probably 15 minutes and it was really good, really nice. So I appreciated his calling.” |
| Trump was asked by Jon Karl of ABC News if Biden offered any specific advice on handling the crisis. “We agreed that we weren’t going to talk about what we said,” he said. “He had suggestions. It doesn’t mean that I agree with those suggestions.” | Trump was asked by Jon Karl of ABC News if Biden offered any specific advice on handling the crisis. “We agreed that we weren’t going to talk about what we said,” he said. “He had suggestions. It doesn’t mean that I agree with those suggestions.” |
| The soft tone was all the more striking because Trump was on irascible form with reporters. At one point he lambasted Karl, whom he has known for 26 years, “You’re a third rate reporter … You will never make it!” | The soft tone was all the more striking because Trump was on irascible form with reporters. At one point he lambasted Karl, whom he has known for 26 years, “You’re a third rate reporter … You will never make it!” |
| The president was asked if he would now make contact with predecessors Barack Obama or George W Bush to seek their advice. He will not. | The president was asked if he would now make contact with predecessors Barack Obama or George W Bush to seek their advice. He will not. |
| And the détente did not last. Later in the briefing, Trump made spurious claims about the Obama-Biden’s handling of swine flu and failure to stockpile equipment. Biden, meanwhile, tweeted: “For months, I called on President Trump to step up and take the action necessary to combat COVID-19. But week after week, he downplayed the threat it posed, misled the American people, and failed to act.” | And the détente did not last. Later in the briefing, Trump made spurious claims about the Obama-Biden’s handling of swine flu and failure to stockpile equipment. Biden, meanwhile, tweeted: “For months, I called on President Trump to step up and take the action necessary to combat COVID-19. But week after week, he downplayed the threat it posed, misled the American people, and failed to act.” |
| Here is a report from the Guardian’s Julian Borger on comments made by Trump about the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, during his daily press briefing. | Here is a report from the Guardian’s Julian Borger on comments made by Trump about the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, during his daily press briefing. |
| The daily briefing has ended. Some key fact checks and falsehoods from Trump: | The daily briefing has ended. Some key fact checks and falsehoods from Trump: |
| He falsely suggested the pandemic was not predictable when, in fact, the US intelligence community, public health experts and officials in Trump’s own administration had warned for years that the country was at risk from a pandemic, including specific warnings about a coronavirus outbreak. | He falsely suggested the pandemic was not predictable when, in fact, the US intelligence community, public health experts and officials in Trump’s own administration had warned for years that the country was at risk from a pandemic, including specific warnings about a coronavirus outbreak. |
| He falsely said the testing in the US is “better” than any other country in the world. In fact, some of the initial coronavirus tests sent out to states were seriously flawed – some did not even work. The CDC had insisted it would manufacture the tests itself, creating further problems. | He falsely said the testing in the US is “better” than any other country in the world. In fact, some of the initial coronavirus tests sent out to states were seriously flawed – some did not even work. The CDC had insisted it would manufacture the tests itself, creating further problems. |
| He tried to suggest that Obama’s handling of H1N1 was worse than his handling of Covid-19, when in fact Obama declared an emergency within two weeks of a first confirmed US case. | He tried to suggest that Obama’s handling of H1N1 was worse than his handling of Covid-19, when in fact Obama declared an emergency within two weeks of a first confirmed US case. |
| He falsely said airline passengers were getting tests upon landing, which is not true. | He falsely said airline passengers were getting tests upon landing, which is not true. |
| He attacked the inspector general report about testing shortage as politically motivated from an Obama appointee, when in reality, the official behind the report has had a long career with the non-partisan office. | He attacked the inspector general report about testing shortage as politically motivated from an Obama appointee, when in reality, the official behind the report has had a long career with the non-partisan office. |
| He also said the country would open “sooner than people think”, even as health officials are warning of a gradual return from current restrictions. | He also said the country would open “sooner than people think”, even as health officials are warning of a gradual return from current restrictions. |
| Dr Birx shared a personal story about her granddaughter’s current high fever and her inability to visit. Earlier, Trump accidentally referred to her “grandson”. | Dr Birx shared a personal story about her granddaughter’s current high fever and her inability to visit. Earlier, Trump accidentally referred to her “grandson”. |
| More details from the Guardian’s Sam Levine on the Wisconsin election: | More details from the Guardian’s Sam Levine on the Wisconsin election: |
| The US supreme court ruled 5-4 that Wisconsin voters have to have their mail-in ballots postmarked by 7 April, election day, in order to have them counted in the state’s closely watched election. The deadline for election officials to receive the ballot is 13 April. The decision, which came shortly after the state supreme court ordered the election to move forward on Tuesday, ends days of legal fighting over the deadline for receiving absentee ballots in the state. | The US supreme court ruled 5-4 that Wisconsin voters have to have their mail-in ballots postmarked by 7 April, election day, in order to have them counted in the state’s closely watched election. The deadline for election officials to receive the ballot is 13 April. The decision, which came shortly after the state supreme court ordered the election to move forward on Tuesday, ends days of legal fighting over the deadline for receiving absentee ballots in the state. |
| State law requires them to be received at election offices by 8pm on election night in order to count, but a federal judge extended that deadline to 13 April amid an unprecedented surge in requests for mail-in balloting. There was such a surge in requests that state Democrats argued thousands would be disenfranchised because they wouldn’t even get their ballot until after election day. As of Monday morning, a little over 11,000 voters who had requested a ballot in the state had yet to be issued one. In an unsigned opinion, the five conservative justices on the court said it was ruling on a “narrow, technical question”, and that the lower court’s decision to extend the ballot deadline without requiring a postmark went beyond what plaintiffs had asked for. | State law requires them to be received at election offices by 8pm on election night in order to count, but a federal judge extended that deadline to 13 April amid an unprecedented surge in requests for mail-in balloting. There was such a surge in requests that state Democrats argued thousands would be disenfranchised because they wouldn’t even get their ballot until after election day. As of Monday morning, a little over 11,000 voters who had requested a ballot in the state had yet to be issued one. In an unsigned opinion, the five conservative justices on the court said it was ruling on a “narrow, technical question”, and that the lower court’s decision to extend the ballot deadline without requiring a postmark went beyond what plaintiffs had asked for. |
| “The court’s decision on the narrow question before the court should not be viewed as expressing an opinion on the broader question of whether to hold the election, or whether other reforms or modifications in election procedures in light of Covid–19 are appropriate,” the majority wrote. Writing for the court’s four liberal justices in dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that the majority did not understand the scope of the case: | “The court’s decision on the narrow question before the court should not be viewed as expressing an opinion on the broader question of whether to hold the election, or whether other reforms or modifications in election procedures in light of Covid–19 are appropriate,” the majority wrote. Writing for the court’s four liberal justices in dissent, Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that the majority did not understand the scope of the case: |
| Dr Fauci is now speaking at the briefing, expressing some optimism about recent hospital data and shelter in place efforts: | Dr Fauci is now speaking at the briefing, expressing some optimism about recent hospital data and shelter in place efforts: |
| The Guardian’s voting rights reporter Sam Levine has an update on the Wisconsin primary, scheduled for this week: | The Guardian’s voting rights reporter Sam Levine has an update on the Wisconsin primary, scheduled for this week: |
| Justice Ginsburg: | Justice Ginsburg: |
| Trump has left the podium, after more than 90 minutes. Mike Pence is speaking now. Here’s a clip of one of the president’s testiest exchanges with the media today: | Trump has left the podium, after more than 90 minutes. Mike Pence is speaking now. Here’s a clip of one of the president’s testiest exchanges with the media today: |
| Trump is lamenting the impact on sports, saying, “I hope basketball can maybe do their playoffs ... A lot of people are tired looking at games that are five years old ... You get tired of looking at nine-year-old baseball games ... People want to see sports, sports are a great thing for this country. I hope football can start. I told them they may be able to. I hope they can start with people in the stands ... You have seats. Those seats are meant for people to be sitting next to each other.” | Trump is lamenting the impact on sports, saying, “I hope basketball can maybe do their playoffs ... A lot of people are tired looking at games that are five years old ... You get tired of looking at nine-year-old baseball games ... People want to see sports, sports are a great thing for this country. I hope football can start. I told them they may be able to. I hope they can start with people in the stands ... You have seats. Those seats are meant for people to be sitting next to each other.” |
| Football season starts in September. | Football season starts in September. |
| Trump is praising healthcare workers on the front lines, and makes an offhand remark about giving them “bonuses” when this is over. He didn’t offer any further details. He has compared them to “soldiers going into battle”. | Trump is praising healthcare workers on the front lines, and makes an offhand remark about giving them “bonuses” when this is over. He didn’t offer any further details. He has compared them to “soldiers going into battle”. |
| Trump is fielding questions on the commander fired over his coronavirus memo, suggesting he doesn’t think his life should be “destroyed” as a result: | Trump is fielding questions on the commander fired over his coronavirus memo, suggesting he doesn’t think his life should be “destroyed” as a result: |
| A useful fact check on Trump’s attempt to draw a comparison between his handling of Covid-19 and the Obama administration’s handling of H1N1: | A useful fact check on Trump’s attempt to draw a comparison between his handling of Covid-19 and the Obama administration’s handling of H1N1: |
| Trump took a break from discussing Covid-19 to share misleading assertions about undocumented immigrants, raising concerns about “criminals” in sanctuary cities. There is no evidence that sanctuary policies meant to protect undocumented people are linked to crime. | Trump took a break from discussing Covid-19 to share misleading assertions about undocumented immigrants, raising concerns about “criminals” in sanctuary cities. There is no evidence that sanctuary policies meant to protect undocumented people are linked to crime. |
| Fact check: Trump is again spreading the falsehood that Covid-19 is a “virus that nobody ever thought possible”. | Fact check: Trump is again spreading the falsehood that Covid-19 is a “virus that nobody ever thought possible”. |
| An October 2019 draft report by the Department of Health and Human Services, obtained by the New York Times “drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed”. | An October 2019 draft report by the Department of Health and Human Services, obtained by the New York Times “drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed”. |
| The exact language of a question that Trump called “horrid”: | The exact language of a question that Trump called “horrid”: |
| The president told reporters today they should be offering him “congratulations”. | The president told reporters today they should be offering him “congratulations”. |
| Dr Birx made her first comments of today’s briefing, urging Americans to limit trips to the grocery store and pharmacy as much as possible, suggesting one family member do the shopping and go once every two weeks. In states that are bracing for the worst this week, officials have urged residents to completely stay home and avoid stores altogether if they have the supplies they need. | Dr Birx made her first comments of today’s briefing, urging Americans to limit trips to the grocery store and pharmacy as much as possible, suggesting one family member do the shopping and go once every two weeks. In states that are bracing for the worst this week, officials have urged residents to completely stay home and avoid stores altogether if they have the supplies they need. |
| The president has attacked governors, again, returning to his refrain that they are kind to him in private and then complain about him to the media. This time, he also criticizes one governor as a “Rino”, which means “Republican in name only”. | The president has attacked governors, again, returning to his refrain that they are kind to him in private and then complain about him to the media. This time, he also criticizes one governor as a “Rino”, which means “Republican in name only”. |
| Governors across the country have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of ventilators and unsuccessfully sought the federal government’s help. | Governors across the country have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of ventilators and unsuccessfully sought the federal government’s help. |