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Trump pushes to reopen coronavirus-hit US economy as approval ratings fall Coronavirus: Trump adviser dampens optimism on easing restrictions
(about 1 hour later)
President at odds with advisers on the disease as one in 10 American workers lose their jobs and global death toll nears 100,000 President at odds with advisers as global death toll nears 100,000
Donald Trump has begun agitating once again for the reopening of the coronavirus-battered US economy, concerned by his deflating approval ratings and exploding unemployment figures, which this week showed one in 10 American workers claiming jobless benefits. America’s top infectious disease expert has cautioned against any move to relax restrictions on peoples’ movements, echoing calls from other global public health officials but putting him at odds with Donald Trump, who is agitating for a reopening of the coronavirus-battered US economy.
As the number of deaths globally from Covid-19 approached 100,000, the president was reported to be pushing to ease restrictions at the beginning of May, having previously backed down on plans to start the US returning to normal by Easter. As confirmed global deaths from Covid-19 approached 100,000, Anthony Fauci said “now is not the time to back off” on restrictions, despite what he described as “favourable signs” in America’s early hotspots.
Despite continuing infections across the US, the country worst affected by coronavirus, Trump told reporters at his daily briefing on Thursday that the United States was at the “top of the hill” and that he hoped to open up the economy “very, very, very, very soon”. “We would want to see a clear indication that you were very, very clearly and strongly going in the right direction, because the one thing you don’t want to do is you don’t want to get out there prematurely and then wind up back in the same situation,” the senior advisor to the White House told CNN.
Trump’s remarks put him at odds, not for the first time, with the top US infectious disease expert, who warned that although early hotspots for the epidemic, like New York, were showing positive results, it was too early to relax restrictions. Trump, seemingly concerned by deflating approval ratings and exploding unemployment figures, had told reporters that the US was at the “top of the hill” and that he hoped to open up the economy “very, very, very, very soon”.
“What we’re seeing right now is favourable signs,” Anthony Fauci said in an interview on CNN on Friday. “We would want to see a clear indication that you were very, very clearly and strongly going in the right direction, because the one thing you don’t want to do is you don’t want to get out there prematurely and then wind up back in the same situation. Now is no time to back off.” According to a report in the Washington Post, the US president wants to reopen the country next month despite concerns from both economists and health experts that America’s coronavirus pandemic is nowhere near over.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, also warned Trump against trying to get back to normal prematurely. “I would hope that the scientific community would weigh in and say, ‘You can’t do this, it is only going to make matters worse if you go out too soon,’” Pelosi said in an interview with Politico.Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, also warned Trump against trying to get back to normal prematurely. “I would hope that the scientific community would weigh in and say, ‘You can’t do this, it is only going to make matters worse if you go out too soon,’” Pelosi said in an interview with Politico.
US deaths due to the coronavirus topped 17,000 on Friday, although there were signs that Americans staying home was curbing new infections. More than 7,000 people have died in New York State alone, but its governor Andrew Cuomo expressed cautious optimism on Friday that the state’s infection rate was slowing.
In the latest sign of tensions with the US, Germany’s foreign minister Heiko Maas criticised the Trump administration’s handling of the outbreak as too slow.In the latest sign of tensions with the US, Germany’s foreign minister Heiko Maas criticised the Trump administration’s handling of the outbreak as too slow.
In a preview of an interview for Der Spiegel, Maas took aim at the two extremes of national coronavirus responses, contrasting China’s “very authoritarian measures” with America’s decision to play down the threat “for a very long time”.In a preview of an interview for Der Spiegel, Maas took aim at the two extremes of national coronavirus responses, contrasting China’s “very authoritarian measures” with America’s decision to play down the threat “for a very long time”.
“These are two extremes, neither of which can be a model for Europe,” Maas said.“These are two extremes, neither of which can be a model for Europe,” Maas said.
A German official last week accused the US of “wild west” tactics in outbidding for or blocking shipments of vital medical supplies, and Maas said he hoped the US would rethink its international relationships in light of the crisis.A German official last week accused the US of “wild west” tactics in outbidding for or blocking shipments of vital medical supplies, and Maas said he hoped the US would rethink its international relationships in light of the crisis.
“Let’s see to what extent the actions of the American government will lead to discussions in the US about whether the ‘America first’ model really works,” he said, adding that aggressive trade policies may have hurt the country’s ability to procure protective equipment.“Let’s see to what extent the actions of the American government will lead to discussions in the US about whether the ‘America first’ model really works,” he said, adding that aggressive trade policies may have hurt the country’s ability to procure protective equipment.
Although Trump enjoyed a small bump in support at the beginning of America’s outbreak, it fell far short of the increase enjoyed by George W Bush after 9/11, and recent polls have seen his ratings fall back to pre-coronavirus levels.Although Trump enjoyed a small bump in support at the beginning of America’s outbreak, it fell far short of the increase enjoyed by George W Bush after 9/11, and recent polls have seen his ratings fall back to pre-coronavirus levels.
In Asia, China weighed in on a growing row between the World Health Organization and Taiwan, accusing Taiwan’s government of “unscrupulously using the virus to seek independence”.In Asia, China weighed in on a growing row between the World Health Organization and Taiwan, accusing Taiwan’s government of “unscrupulously using the virus to seek independence”.
The WHO and Taiwan have been trading accusations in recent days, largely stemming from Taiwan’s continued exclusion from WHO membership and activities because of lobbying by China’s Communist party government, which claims Taiwan as Chinese territory.The WHO and Taiwan have been trading accusations in recent days, largely stemming from Taiwan’s continued exclusion from WHO membership and activities because of lobbying by China’s Communist party government, which claims Taiwan as Chinese territory.
The WHO has been accused of being too deferential to China and praising its virus response despite the government initially suppressing information about the outbreak. It denies the charge and earlier this week its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he had been subjected to months of racist attacks which he said were condoned by Taiwan. Taiwan says the accusations are groundless and has demanded an apology.The WHO has been accused of being too deferential to China and praising its virus response despite the government initially suppressing information about the outbreak. It denies the charge and earlier this week its director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he had been subjected to months of racist attacks which he said were condoned by Taiwan. Taiwan says the accusations are groundless and has demanded an apology.
In Europe, Italian newspapers reported that the government was poised to extend confinement measures due to expire on 13 April to 3 May. In Europe, Italian newspapers reported that the government was poised to extend confinement measures due to expire on 13 April to 3 May. Officials used helicopters, drones and stepped-up police checks to make sure people don’t slip out of their homes over the Easter holiday. On Thursday alone, police stopped 300,000 people to ensure they had permission to travel.
Spain’s lockdown, which came into force on 14 March, will also remain in place, its health minister said on Friday. But some non-essential workers will begin returning to their jobs on Monday at the end of a two-week freeze on all non-vital economic activity, despite warnings that the relaxation of the strict confinement policy could drive a rise in contagion.Spain’s lockdown, which came into force on 14 March, will also remain in place, its health minister said on Friday. But some non-essential workers will begin returning to their jobs on Monday at the end of a two-week freeze on all non-vital economic activity, despite warnings that the relaxation of the strict confinement policy could drive a rise in contagion.
In other developments:In other developments:
The first confirmed case was announced in war-torn Yemen, stoking fears of an outbreak that could devastate its already crippled health care system.The first confirmed case was announced in war-torn Yemen, stoking fears of an outbreak that could devastate its already crippled health care system.
In the Kenyan capital Nairobi, there was a crush as people desperate for food because coronavirus restrictions have kept them from making a living pushed through a gate at a district office in the Kibera slum.
Spain recorded a daily death toll of 605, the lowest figure since 24 March. Spaniards have been off the streets since mid-March, but a slowdown of the disease’s spread and its death toll has enabled officials to start discussing a gradual easing.Spain recorded a daily death toll of 605, the lowest figure since 24 March. Spaniards have been off the streets since mid-March, but a slowdown of the disease’s spread and its death toll has enabled officials to start discussing a gradual easing.
Fifty crew aboard France’s only aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, tested positive and parts of the ship have been put in lockdown. An armed forces’ ministry statement said that three sailors had been evacuated by air to a military hospital in Toulon on the south coast, the home port of the carrier. The aircraft carrier, which is equipped with its own intensive care facilities, has 1,760 personnel on board.Fifty crew aboard France’s only aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, tested positive and parts of the ship have been put in lockdown. An armed forces’ ministry statement said that three sailors had been evacuated by air to a military hospital in Toulon on the south coast, the home port of the carrier. The aircraft carrier, which is equipped with its own intensive care facilities, has 1,760 personnel on board.
A Yanomami teenager became the first indigenous person to die from the virus in Brazil. Meanwhile the country’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, one of only a handful of global leaders still denying the virus threat, was booed and jeered in the capital, Brasília, after he went to a bakery for a doughnut.A Yanomami teenager became the first indigenous person to die from the virus in Brazil. Meanwhile the country’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, one of only a handful of global leaders still denying the virus threat, was booed and jeered in the capital, Brasília, after he went to a bakery for a doughnut.