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| Coronavirus US live – Cuomo says New York is past the plateau but no time to relax | Coronavirus US live – Cuomo says New York is past the plateau but no time to relax |
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| New York governor: It’s no time to get cocky and no time to get arrogant’ as state death toll rises to 13,869 | New York governor: It’s no time to get cocky and no time to get arrogant’ as state death toll rises to 13,869 |
| With Joe Biden effectively confirmed as the Democrats’ candidate for this year’s presidential election, the results of Wyoming’s Democratic presidential caucus don’t matter too much. Especially when Wyoming has the smallest population of any US state and only 21.6% of the state voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. But, nevertheless Biden won the state’s Democratic presidential caucus on Sunday. Here’s more from the Associated Press: | |
| Thousands of protesters gathered at the Michigan state capitol last week in response to what they viewed as an overly strict stay at home order by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Some protesters chanted “Lock her up” and demonstrations also took place in Ohio, Maryland and Texas. | |
| Whitmer, a Democrat, has extended the stay at home order until 30 April and defended her policy on Sunday, saying it was helping save lives. As of Sunday morning, more than 2,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Michigan, the third highest number of deaths for any state in the US. Michigan ranks 10th among US state’s by population. | |
| “You know my stay-home order is one of the nation’s more conservative, but the fact of the matter is, it’s working. We are seeing the curve start to flatten. And that means we’re saving lives,” Whitmer told CNN on Sunday. “Who among us wouldn’t rather forgo jet skiing or boating right now if it’s going to save your grandparent or your neighbor’s life and that’s precisely what the tradeoff is at the moment.” | |
| Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, sounded a note of cautious optimism during a press briefing on Sunday. His state has been one of the worst affected by Covid-19 with only four other states recording more deaths from the virus. | Louisiana’s governor, John Bel Edwards, sounded a note of cautious optimism during a press briefing on Sunday. His state has been one of the worst affected by Covid-19 with only four other states recording more deaths from the virus. |
| “We’re in much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said. He added that Louisiana has recorded a drop in the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital and fewer people are using ventilators. | “We’re in much, much better place today than we thought we were going to be,” Edwards said. He added that Louisiana has recorded a drop in the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital and fewer people are using ventilators. |
| There were 29 deaths in the state from Coronavirus announced on Sunday. “Now the number of cases and the number of deaths are lower than they have been for the last number of days, that’s a good thing, but I would caution everybody that typically on Sunday the numbers go down,” Edwards said. “It’s just a function of when the labs report and so forth, so what we would like to see is a continued downward trajectory tomorrow and Tuesday and on through the week.” | There were 29 deaths in the state from Coronavirus announced on Sunday. “Now the number of cases and the number of deaths are lower than they have been for the last number of days, that’s a good thing, but I would caution everybody that typically on Sunday the numbers go down,” Edwards said. “It’s just a function of when the labs report and so forth, so what we would like to see is a continued downward trajectory tomorrow and Tuesday and on through the week.” |
| He also warned that life will not return to normal until a vaccine is released for Covid-19. Most experts believe a vaccine is at least a year away. “As always, I want to remind everyone that it’s going to take all of us working together and for some period of time to defeat this virus, get back to life as normal,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to see that for a while and I suspect we won’t fully see it until after there’s a vaccine that’s administered to the entire population.” | He also warned that life will not return to normal until a vaccine is released for Covid-19. Most experts believe a vaccine is at least a year away. “As always, I want to remind everyone that it’s going to take all of us working together and for some period of time to defeat this virus, get back to life as normal,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to see that for a while and I suspect we won’t fully see it until after there’s a vaccine that’s administered to the entire population.” |
| Australia’s former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has released a memoir and the Guardian has published extracts detailing his relationship with Donald Trump, who he describes as a “bully”. Turnbull was in power from 2015 to 2018 and is perhaps most famous in the US for a clash he had with Trump over an agreement, signed off by Barack Obama, for the States to take in refugees originally heading for Australia. He then details what happened when Trump pushed back: | Australia’s former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has released a memoir and the Guardian has published extracts detailing his relationship with Donald Trump, who he describes as a “bully”. Turnbull was in power from 2015 to 2018 and is perhaps most famous in the US for a clash he had with Trump over an agreement, signed off by Barack Obama, for the States to take in refugees originally heading for Australia. He then details what happened when Trump pushed back: |
| You can read a more detailed extract here: | You can read a more detailed extract here: |
| “The president is right when he gets up there and says the models had many more people dying,” Cuomo says of the statewide efforts that kept infections and deaths far below the CDC’s mid-March estimates of twice the nation’s hospital capacity. “This is a great success story ... [but] don’t go backwards.” | “The president is right when he gets up there and says the models had many more people dying,” Cuomo says of the statewide efforts that kept infections and deaths far below the CDC’s mid-March estimates of twice the nation’s hospital capacity. “This is a great success story ... [but] don’t go backwards.” |
| Cuomo is then asked about President Trump’s tweet from moments ago: | Cuomo is then asked about President Trump’s tweet from moments ago: |
| “Great,” Cuomo says, taking a slightly more diplomatic tack than on Friday when he responded to a different Trump tweet with a scathing 16-minute rebuke. “States must do their part and the federal government must do its part. Perfect. That’s what’s called partnership.” | “Great,” Cuomo says, taking a slightly more diplomatic tack than on Friday when he responded to a different Trump tweet with a scathing 16-minute rebuke. “States must do their part and the federal government must do its part. Perfect. That’s what’s called partnership.” |
| Cuomo announces a plan for an “aggressive” statewide antibody testing program, saying they will be able to sample thousands of people in the coming weeks and promising the data will provide “the first true snapshot of what we’re truly dealing with”. | Cuomo announces a plan for an “aggressive” statewide antibody testing program, saying they will be able to sample thousands of people in the coming weeks and promising the data will provide “the first true snapshot of what we’re truly dealing with”. |
| “That will tell us for the first time, what percent of the population has actually had the coronavirus,” he says. “Any plan that is going to start to reopen the economy has to be based on data, which means it has to be based on testing.” | “That will tell us for the first time, what percent of the population has actually had the coronavirus,” he says. “Any plan that is going to start to reopen the economy has to be based on data, which means it has to be based on testing.” |
| The state’s Department of Health will run the testing, but Cuomo stressed that cooperation with the federal government will be essential to helping with the supply chain and coordinating with private labs. | The state’s Department of Health will run the testing, but Cuomo stressed that cooperation with the federal government will be essential to helping with the supply chain and coordinating with private labs. |
| New York governor Andrew Cuomo says the total number of Covid-19 hospitalizations is down to 16,213, marking the sixth consecutive day that number has dropped. | New York governor Andrew Cuomo says the total number of Covid-19 hospitalizations is down to 16,213, marking the sixth consecutive day that number has dropped. |
| “If the data holds, we are past the high point and all indications,” Cuomo says during his daily coronavirus briefing from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research on Long Island. “At this point we are on a descent. Whether or not that descent continues depends on what we do.” | “If the data holds, we are past the high point and all indications,” Cuomo says during his daily coronavirus briefing from Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research on Long Island. “At this point we are on a descent. Whether or not that descent continues depends on what we do.” |
| Other key metrics including the three-day average of the hospitalization rate, ICU admissions and number of intubations are all down, the governor says. | Other key metrics including the three-day average of the hospitalization rate, ICU admissions and number of intubations are all down, the governor says. |
| Another 507 people died of coronavirus across the state yesterday – the lowest that figure has been in several days – bringing the overall death toll to 13,869. | Another 507 people died of coronavirus across the state yesterday – the lowest that figure has been in several days – bringing the overall death toll to 13,869. |
| “It’s no time to get cocky and it’s no time to get arrogant,” Cuomo says. “We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way. We have been playing catch-up from day one in this situation, so it is no time to relax.” | “It’s no time to get cocky and it’s no time to get arrogant,” Cuomo says. “We still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do. This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way. We have been playing catch-up from day one in this situation, so it is no time to relax.” |
| Vice president Mike Pence claimed the US has “sufficient capacity” for testing for any state to go to phase one level of reopening in an NBC interview aired on Sunday morning.State governors have said a shortage of testing, and a lack of help from the federal government to ramp up testing, are among the most significant hurdles in easing stay-at-home restrictions.Researchers at Harvard University have suggested the US cannot safely reopen unless it conducts more than three times the number of coronavirus tests it is currently administering over the course of the next month, the New York Times reported this weekend. | Vice president Mike Pence claimed the US has “sufficient capacity” for testing for any state to go to phase one level of reopening in an NBC interview aired on Sunday morning.State governors have said a shortage of testing, and a lack of help from the federal government to ramp up testing, are among the most significant hurdles in easing stay-at-home restrictions.Researchers at Harvard University have suggested the US cannot safely reopen unless it conducts more than three times the number of coronavirus tests it is currently administering over the course of the next month, the New York Times reported this weekend. |
| Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, insisted testing had been a focus of the administration “from the very beginning” and walked away from Donald Trump’s claim last week that executive branch authority alone would determine when social-distancing guidelines could be lifted and businesses reopened.“Just so we’re very clear, when the president outlined his guidelines for opening up America, we laid out a plan for both – for when and how we thought it was best according to our best scientists and advisors for states to be able to responsibly and safely reopen,” Pence said.Downplaying reports of rifts between federal and state approaches to curbing the pandemic, Pence said that “at the president’s direction, we’ll continue to play our role” and would maintain “a full partnership with governors around the country”.Pence disputed claims that the federal government, which is currently conducting 150,000 tests a day, had acceded responsibility for testing to individual states. This was, he said, “the reason why the president early on brought in this vast array of commercial labs that took us from 80,000 tests one month ago to now four million tests as of yesterday.”Several state governors have claimed that Washington has rejected calls to co-ordinate testing at a national level.“Admiral Brett Giroir of the US Public Health Service spends all of his time coordinating testing deployment and resources deployment from FEMA,” Pence added. “I want the American people to know ... we will continue to do that.”The vice president said that the White House planned to “make clear” to governors in a conference call on Monday that “if states around the country will activate all of the laboratories that are available in their states, we could more than double that overnight and literally be doing hundreds of thousands of more tests per day.”Pence continued: “There is a sufficient capacity of testing across the country today for any state in America to go to a phase one level, which contemplates testing people that have symptoms of the coronavirus and also doing the kind of monitoring of vulnerable populations in our cities, in our nursing homes, that we ought to be watching very carefully for outbreaks of the coronavirus.” | Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, insisted testing had been a focus of the administration “from the very beginning” and walked away from Donald Trump’s claim last week that executive branch authority alone would determine when social-distancing guidelines could be lifted and businesses reopened.“Just so we’re very clear, when the president outlined his guidelines for opening up America, we laid out a plan for both – for when and how we thought it was best according to our best scientists and advisors for states to be able to responsibly and safely reopen,” Pence said.Downplaying reports of rifts between federal and state approaches to curbing the pandemic, Pence said that “at the president’s direction, we’ll continue to play our role” and would maintain “a full partnership with governors around the country”.Pence disputed claims that the federal government, which is currently conducting 150,000 tests a day, had acceded responsibility for testing to individual states. This was, he said, “the reason why the president early on brought in this vast array of commercial labs that took us from 80,000 tests one month ago to now four million tests as of yesterday.”Several state governors have claimed that Washington has rejected calls to co-ordinate testing at a national level.“Admiral Brett Giroir of the US Public Health Service spends all of his time coordinating testing deployment and resources deployment from FEMA,” Pence added. “I want the American people to know ... we will continue to do that.”The vice president said that the White House planned to “make clear” to governors in a conference call on Monday that “if states around the country will activate all of the laboratories that are available in their states, we could more than double that overnight and literally be doing hundreds of thousands of more tests per day.”Pence continued: “There is a sufficient capacity of testing across the country today for any state in America to go to a phase one level, which contemplates testing people that have symptoms of the coronavirus and also doing the kind of monitoring of vulnerable populations in our cities, in our nursing homes, that we ought to be watching very carefully for outbreaks of the coronavirus.” |
| On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr Deborah Birx gently endorsed President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization by saying the first country struck by a pandemic has a “higher moral obligation” for communication and transparency. | On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr Deborah Birx gently endorsed President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization by saying the first country struck by a pandemic has a “higher moral obligation” for communication and transparency. |
| “It’s always the first country that get exposed to the pandemic that has a – really a higher moral obligation on communicating, on transparency, because all the other countries around the world are making decisions on that,” Birx said, when asked if it was “fair to blame the WHO for covering up the spread of this virus”. | “It’s always the first country that get exposed to the pandemic that has a – really a higher moral obligation on communicating, on transparency, because all the other countries around the world are making decisions on that,” Birx said, when asked if it was “fair to blame the WHO for covering up the spread of this virus”. |
| She added: “And when we get through this as a global community, we can figure out really what has to happen for first alerts and transparency and understanding very early on about … how incredibly contagious this virus is.” | She added: “And when we get through this as a global community, we can figure out really what has to happen for first alerts and transparency and understanding very early on about … how incredibly contagious this virus is.” |
| Trump announced the decision to halt funding to WHO on Tuesday pending an investigation into its response to the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the group of “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus”. | Trump announced the decision to halt funding to WHO on Tuesday pending an investigation into its response to the coronavirus pandemic, accusing the group of “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus”. |
| Birx appeared to corroborate Trump’s timeline on Sunday, saying: “It wasn’t until the beginning of March that we could all fully see how contagious.” | Birx appeared to corroborate Trump’s timeline on Sunday, saying: “It wasn’t until the beginning of March that we could all fully see how contagious.” |
| Today marks 25 years since the Oklahoma City bombing, the second deadliest act of terrorism on US soil after the 9/11 attacks. | Today marks 25 years since the Oklahoma City bombing, the second deadliest act of terrorism on US soil after the 9/11 attacks. |
| On April 19 1995, a truck bomb was detonated in Oklahoma City by a right-wing extremist and US army veteran, killing 168 people and injuring hundreds more. | On April 19 1995, a truck bomb was detonated in Oklahoma City by a right-wing extremist and US army veteran, killing 168 people and injuring hundreds more. |
| Bill Clinton, who was president at the time, paid tribute to the victims and their families. | Bill Clinton, who was president at the time, paid tribute to the victims and their families. |
| He added: “As we face another unprecedented challenge, we should repeat the promise we made to Oklahoma City in 1995 to all Americans today: we have not lost each other, we have not lost America, and we will stand together for as many tomorrows as it takes.” | He added: “As we face another unprecedented challenge, we should repeat the promise we made to Oklahoma City in 1995 to all Americans today: we have not lost each other, we have not lost America, and we will stand together for as many tomorrows as it takes.” |
| In Washington, where the first US death linked coronavirus was reported in February, the state’s governor Jay Inslee said there has been “a lot of good news” but that it was not out of the woods yet. | In Washington, where the first US death linked coronavirus was reported in February, the state’s governor Jay Inslee said there has been “a lot of good news” but that it was not out of the woods yet. |
| “We’ve been able to bend the curve down, and the reason we’ve been able to do this is we’ve made decisions based on data, based on science, based on some of the best geneticists and epidemiologists in the world here at the University of Washington and other labs. | “We’ve been able to bend the curve down, and the reason we’ve been able to do this is we’ve made decisions based on data, based on science, based on some of the best geneticists and epidemiologists in the world here at the University of Washington and other labs. |
| “The problem is those who still have not got the curve going down. We want to make sure we wrestle this beast to the ground.” | “The problem is those who still have not got the curve going down. We want to make sure we wrestle this beast to the ground.” |
| The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: | The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: |
| Washington governor Jay Inslee has again criticized Donald Trump’s support for protests against stay-at-home measures, saying on Sunday that such messaging from the US president was “dangerous”. | Washington governor Jay Inslee has again criticized Donald Trump’s support for protests against stay-at-home measures, saying on Sunday that such messaging from the US president was “dangerous”. |
| His fresh criticism comes two days after he accused Trump of “unhinged rantings” in tweets that called for the ‘liberation’ of certain Democratic-led states that have imposed that measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. | His fresh criticism comes two days after he accused Trump of “unhinged rantings” in tweets that called for the ‘liberation’ of certain Democratic-led states that have imposed that measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. |
| “I don’t know any other way to characterise it,” Inslee told host George Stephanopoulous on ABC’s This Week. | “I don’t know any other way to characterise it,” Inslee told host George Stephanopoulous on ABC’s This Week. |
| “To have an American president encourage people to violate the law, I can’t remember any time during my time in America where we have seen such a thing. And it is dangerous because it can inspire people to ignore things that actually can save their lives.” | “To have an American president encourage people to violate the law, I can’t remember any time during my time in America where we have seen such a thing. And it is dangerous because it can inspire people to ignore things that actually can save their lives.” |
| Protests have grown around the country in recent days, and Inslee has been arguably the most vocal governor to speak out against Trump, who sent the “liberate” Tweets Friday attacking state leaders in Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia for maintaining stay-at-home restrictions as he announced guidelines for reopening the country. | Protests have grown around the country in recent days, and Inslee has been arguably the most vocal governor to speak out against Trump, who sent the “liberate” Tweets Friday attacking state leaders in Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia for maintaining stay-at-home restrictions as he announced guidelines for reopening the country. |
| In the case of Virginia, the president also claimed, without evidence, that citizens’ Second Amendment rights were “under siege” after governor Ralph Northam signed into law tighter firearms restrictions a week earlier. | In the case of Virginia, the president also claimed, without evidence, that citizens’ Second Amendment rights were “under siege” after governor Ralph Northam signed into law tighter firearms restrictions a week earlier. |
| Inslee said: “It is doubly frustrating to us governors because this is such a schizophrenia, the president is basically asking people, ‘Please ignore Dr Fauci and Dr Birx [White House task force medical advisers], please ignore my own guidelines that I set forth,’ because those guidelines made very clear… that you cannot open up Michigan today, or Virginia, under those guidelines. You need to see a decline in the infections and fatalities. And that simply has not happened yet.” | Inslee said: “It is doubly frustrating to us governors because this is such a schizophrenia, the president is basically asking people, ‘Please ignore Dr Fauci and Dr Birx [White House task force medical advisers], please ignore my own guidelines that I set forth,’ because those guidelines made very clear… that you cannot open up Michigan today, or Virginia, under those guidelines. You need to see a decline in the infections and fatalities. And that simply has not happened yet.” |
| Inslee added: “We hope there could be a restoration of leadership in the White House rather than hobbling our national efforts to protect people from this terrible virus.” | Inslee added: “We hope there could be a restoration of leadership in the White House rather than hobbling our national efforts to protect people from this terrible virus.” |
| In her interview with ABC News this morning, House speaker Nancy Pelosi also cautioned against overplaying the significance of protests against stay-at-home measures that have been taking place in states including Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, this week. | In her interview with ABC News this morning, House speaker Nancy Pelosi also cautioned against overplaying the significance of protests against stay-at-home measures that have been taking place in states including Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, this week. |
| She said the protests and Donald Trump’s support for the demonstrators amounted to “a distraction” from failures in the White House response to the coronavirus pandemic. | She said the protests and Donald Trump’s support for the demonstrators amounted to “a distraction” from failures in the White House response to the coronavirus pandemic. |
| “I wouldn’t exaggerate the protests across the country. There are some in some places, largely where there’s a Democratic governor. But I think of it largely as a distraction and the president’s embrace of it as a distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately done testing, treatment, contact tracing, and quarantine.” | “I wouldn’t exaggerate the protests across the country. There are some in some places, largely where there’s a Democratic governor. But I think of it largely as a distraction and the president’s embrace of it as a distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately done testing, treatment, contact tracing, and quarantine.” |
| As the Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports, Trump and rightwing media have supported the demonstrators but they appear to represent a minority opinion: | As the Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports, Trump and rightwing media have supported the demonstrators but they appear to represent a minority opinion: |
| Democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi has dismissed Donald Trump’s almost daily attacks on her and other members of the Democratic leadership during the coronavirus crisis, saying she does not “pay that much attention” to the president’s tweets against her. | Democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi has dismissed Donald Trump’s almost daily attacks on her and other members of the Democratic leadership during the coronavirus crisis, saying she does not “pay that much attention” to the president’s tweets against her. |
| “As I’ve said, he’s a poor leader. He’s always trying to avoid responsibility and assign blame.” | “As I’ve said, he’s a poor leader. He’s always trying to avoid responsibility and assign blame.” |
| Pelosi also restated her concerns about how the president will handle the next phase of the pandemic. | Pelosi also restated her concerns about how the president will handle the next phase of the pandemic. |
| “I’m afraid that he’s going to act on the set basis of what he’s acted before. It’s a hoax. It’s magically going to disappear,” she said. “That’s not based on science. This isn’t magical. This is scientific.” | “I’m afraid that he’s going to act on the set basis of what he’s acted before. It’s a hoax. It’s magically going to disappear,” she said. “That’s not based on science. This isn’t magical. This is scientific.” |
| Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, also says the tea leaves look good for a small business deal this week. | Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, also says the tea leaves look good for a small business deal this week. |
| “I’m very hopeful we can come to an agreement tonight, or early tomorrow morning,” he told Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union, adding that he and House speaker Nancy Pelosi have been in discussions “almost 24/7” with treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. | “I’m very hopeful we can come to an agreement tonight, or early tomorrow morning,” he told Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union, adding that he and House speaker Nancy Pelosi have been in discussions “almost 24/7” with treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. |
| “Many of the things we have asked for, on the banking side, on the testing side, the hospital side, they’re going along with,” he said. | “Many of the things we have asked for, on the banking side, on the testing side, the hospital side, they’re going along with,” he said. |
| “Testing is the key, every expert says it. We will not be able to get the economy going full pledge unless we have testing,” Schumer said, noting that Democrats had proposed $30bn in the so-called ‘Covid 2’ bill to fund manufacturing and supply chains, more widespread and free testing, and contact tracing. | “Testing is the key, every expert says it. We will not be able to get the economy going full pledge unless we have testing,” Schumer said, noting that Democrats had proposed $30bn in the so-called ‘Covid 2’ bill to fund manufacturing and supply chains, more widespread and free testing, and contact tracing. |
| One interesting footnote to Schumer’s conversation with Tapper: he was asked about reports that progressive New York congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez had not ruled out a primary challenge for his New York Senate seat. | One interesting footnote to Schumer’s conversation with Tapper: he was asked about reports that progressive New York congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez had not ruled out a primary challenge for his New York Senate seat. |
| “I’m totally focused on this Covid,” he said. “We are the epicenter. And I’ve found throughout my career, you do your job well and everything else works out OK.” | “I’m totally focused on this Covid,” he said. “We are the epicenter. And I’ve found throughout my career, you do your job well and everything else works out OK.” |
| Tapper also wanted to know if reports that an additional $1 trillion or more will be needed in the next government stimulus package are accurate. | Tapper also wanted to know if reports that an additional $1 trillion or more will be needed in the next government stimulus package are accurate. |
| “I don’t think that’s the case,” Mnuchin said, adding that “another $300bn should be sufficient to reach almost everybody.” | “I don’t think that’s the case,” Mnuchin said, adding that “another $300bn should be sufficient to reach almost everybody.” |
| Mnuchin was also defensive about the roll-out of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website allowing taxpayers to log on and check the status of their stimulus money, worth up to $3,400 for a family of four. The website was beset with problems at launch and many who had hoped to upload direct deposit details for quicker payment were greeted with error messages. | Mnuchin was also defensive about the roll-out of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website allowing taxpayers to log on and check the status of their stimulus money, worth up to $3,400 for a family of four. The website was beset with problems at launch and many who had hoped to upload direct deposit details for quicker payment were greeted with error messages. |
| Mnuchin said more than 40 million taxpayers had accessed the site successfully, and five million had been able to upload details. Others who are eligible will receive a paper check, controversially with Donald Trump’s name on it. Reports this week suggested the vanity project would hold up the checks. | Mnuchin said more than 40 million taxpayers had accessed the site successfully, and five million had been able to upload details. Others who are eligible will receive a paper check, controversially with Donald Trump’s name on it. Reports this week suggested the vanity project would hold up the checks. |
| Apparently, there is a difference between having Trump’s name merely printed on the checks, and having the president sign them, which Mnuchin said he rejected because that would have caused delays. | Apparently, there is a difference between having Trump’s name merely printed on the checks, and having the president sign them, which Mnuchin said he rejected because that would have caused delays. |
| “That was my idea,” he said. “He is the president and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.” | “That was my idea,” he said. “He is the president and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.” |
| The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: | The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: |
| On CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper points out that Sunday marks 50 days since the first coronavirus death was recorded in the US. | On CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper points out that Sunday marks 50 days since the first coronavirus death was recorded in the US. |
| His first guest was treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been under fire since the first round of government stimulus money for business, some $340bn, was exhausted inside two weeks. Some of the money went to successful large companies, while many small businesses received nothing. | His first guest was treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been under fire since the first round of government stimulus money for business, some $340bn, was exhausted inside two weeks. Some of the money went to successful large companies, while many small businesses received nothing. |
| Mnuchin concurs with Pelosi that a new funding deal is close, and tells Tapper it could be signed off by the middle of this week. He says he’s going to make sure that smaller operators are taken care of this time. | Mnuchin concurs with Pelosi that a new funding deal is close, and tells Tapper it could be signed off by the middle of this week. He says he’s going to make sure that smaller operators are taken care of this time. |
| “That’s something we did correct already,” he said, pointing out the average loan was $250,000. “There were some big businesses, but the majority is going to small businesses. I know there’s other people who are still waiting in line and we’re going to try to make sure all the banks get to them quickly in this next batch of money.” | “That’s something we did correct already,” he said, pointing out the average loan was $250,000. “There were some big businesses, but the majority is going to small businesses. I know there’s other people who are still waiting in line and we’re going to try to make sure all the banks get to them quickly in this next batch of money.” |
| He said he had had discussions with congressional leaders including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, and that: “We’re very close to a deal today.” | He said he had had discussions with congressional leaders including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, and that: “We’re very close to a deal today.” |
| “I’m hoping the Senate can reach an agreement tomorrow and the house can take it up on Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll be back up and running.” | “I’m hoping the Senate can reach an agreement tomorrow and the house can take it up on Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll be back up and running.” |
| According to a new NBC/WSJ poll, a majority of Americans are concerned that states may start re-opening too soon. | According to a new NBC/WSJ poll, a majority of Americans are concerned that states may start re-opening too soon. |
| The poll found that 58% of interviewees were worried the US would move too quickly to ease stay-at-home restrictions, causing further spread and more deaths from the coronavirus, while it found that 32% were more worried the US would take too long to loosen them and hurt the economy. | The poll found that 58% of interviewees were worried the US would move too quickly to ease stay-at-home restrictions, causing further spread and more deaths from the coronavirus, while it found that 32% were more worried the US would take too long to loosen them and hurt the economy. |
| The White House last week issued its guidelines for governors on the criteria for re-opening their states after imposing stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus. But the guidelines were still full of unanswered questions on how the plans would work. | The White House last week issued its guidelines for governors on the criteria for re-opening their states after imposing stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus. But the guidelines were still full of unanswered questions on how the plans would work. |
| Good morning live blog readers | Good morning live blog readers |
| US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she believed lawmakers are very close to a deal on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. | US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she believed lawmakers are very close to a deal on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. |
| “We’re close,” Pelosi said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” broadcast on Sunday. “I think we’re very close to an agreement.” | “We’re close,” Pelosi said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” broadcast on Sunday. “I think we’re very close to an agreement.” |
| The Associated Press reports: | The Associated Press reports: |