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| Coronavirus US live: Trump dodges questions on whether he knew about threat in January | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President said he ‘would have to check’ dates of warnings he received, speaking at Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis | |
| Alabama governor Kay Ivey said the state would relax some social distancing restrictions starting Thursday, as several states look to start the process of reopening their economies. | |
| Ivey said the state’s stay-at-home order would be allowed to expire Thursday and would be replaced with a “safer-at-home” order that includes slightly relaxed restrictions, which will be in effect until at least May 15. | |
| Retail stores will be allowed to reopen starting Thursday, although the businesses must follow sanitization guidelines and enforce a 50% occupancy limit. | |
| Beaches will also be allowed to reopen, but people will still need to maintain six feet of physical distance and avoid gathering in groups. | |
| Restaurants, bars and breweries will remain limited to takeout and delivery, and churches will not yet be allowed to reopen. | |
| Trump declined to answer a question about the health status of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which remains a matter of intense public speculation. | |
| “I just don’t want to comment on that,” Trump said of Kim during an Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis. “I just wish him well.” | |
| But yesterday, Trump was more than willing to indicate that he knew the health status of Kim, even as he declined to share details on what he knows. | |
| “Kim Jong-un? I can’t tell you exactly,” Trump said at his press conference yesterday. “Yes, I do have a very good idea, but I can’t talk about it now. ... You will probably be hearing in the not-too-distant future.” | |
| Trump also dodged a question about whether he was warned in the Presidential Daily Briefing about the threat of coronavirus in January and February. | Trump also dodged a question about whether he was warned in the Presidential Daily Briefing about the threat of coronavirus in January and February. |
| During an Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, the president said he “would have to check” the dates of the warnings he received. | During an Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, the president said he “would have to check” the dates of the warnings he received. |
| The Washington Post reported yesterday: | The Washington Post reported yesterday: |
| Trump said he would be signing an executive order today to address “liability problems” in the food supply chain. | Trump said he would be signing an executive order today to address “liability problems” in the food supply chain. |
| The president announced the planned executive order during an Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis. | The president announced the planned executive order during an Oval Office pool spray with Florida governor Ron DeSantis. |
| The Republican governor was asked why he was still allowing flights to come in to Florida from Latin America, and DeSantis said he was examining the issue. | The Republican governor was asked why he was still allowing flights to come in to Florida from Latin America, and DeSantis said he was examining the issue. |
| Trump replied by suggesting DeSantis would be “cutting off Braxil.” “Well not necessarily,” DeSantis said. | Trump replied by suggesting DeSantis would be “cutting off Braxil.” “Well not necessarily,” DeSantis said. |
| The Senate still plans to reconvene next Monday, majority leader Mitch McConnell’s communications director confirmed in a tweet. | The Senate still plans to reconvene next Monday, majority leader Mitch McConnell’s communications director confirmed in a tweet. |
| McConnell’s office said the statement the majority leader put out yesterday, announcing plans to reconvene next Monday, was still in effect. | McConnell’s office said the statement the majority leader put out yesterday, announcing plans to reconvene next Monday, was still in effect. |
| “We will modify routines in ways that are smart and safe, but we will honor our constitutional duty to the American people and conduct critical business in person,” McConnell said in his statement yesterday. | “We will modify routines in ways that are smart and safe, but we will honor our constitutional duty to the American people and conduct critical business in person,” McConnell said in his statement yesterday. |
| “If it is essential for doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, truck drivers, grocery-store workers, and many other brave Americans to keep carefully manning their own duty stations, then it is essential for Senators to carefully man ours and support them.” | “If it is essential for doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, truck drivers, grocery-store workers, and many other brave Americans to keep carefully manning their own duty stations, then it is essential for Senators to carefully man ours and support them.” |
| As House leadership delays members’ planned return to Washington, it’s worth noting a bipartisan pair of senators are pushing to allow remote voting. | As House leadership delays members’ planned return to Washington, it’s worth noting a bipartisan pair of senators are pushing to allow remote voting. |
| Republican senator Rob Portman and Democratic senator Dick Durbin penned a New York Times op-ed voicing support for remote voting, which Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled out. | Republican senator Rob Portman and Democratic senator Dick Durbin penned a New York Times op-ed voicing support for remote voting, which Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled out. |
| The two senators wrote: | The two senators wrote: |
| House Democrats have proposed allowing members to vote by proxy for the duration of the current crisis, but House Republicans have voiced strong opposition to the idea. | House Democrats have proposed allowing members to vote by proxy for the duration of the current crisis, but House Republicans have voiced strong opposition to the idea. |
| House majority leader Steny Hoyer’s announcement that the chamber will not return next week comes just a day after Democratic leadership announced plans to reconvene starting next Monday. | House majority leader Steny Hoyer’s announcement that the chamber will not return next week comes just a day after Democratic leadership announced plans to reconvene starting next Monday. |
| But that announcement was met with immediate pushback, as some House Democrats criticized the planned return as “dangerous” considering the coronavirus situation in Washington. | But that announcement was met with immediate pushback, as some House Democrats criticized the planned return as “dangerous” considering the coronavirus situation in Washington. |
| The Capitol physician also reportedly warned lawmakers that there was a lot of work left to be done before Congress could return to full capacity. | The Capitol physician also reportedly warned lawmakers that there was a lot of work left to be done before Congress could return to full capacity. |
| Hoyer said he spoke to the Capitol physician before making the decision to delay members’ return. | Hoyer said he spoke to the Capitol physician before making the decision to delay members’ return. |
| House majority leader Steny Hoyer has just announced that the chamber will not return to session next week, as previously planned. | House majority leader Steny Hoyer has just announced that the chamber will not return to session next week, as previously planned. |
| The Maryland Democrat said on a call with reporters that he made the decision to delay members’ return last night, after consulting with the House physician and considering the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Washington metropolitan area. | The Maryland Democrat said on a call with reporters that he made the decision to delay members’ return last night, after consulting with the House physician and considering the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Washington metropolitan area. |
| Hoyer said he hopes the House will be able to return soon to consider the next coronavirus relief package. The Senate is still scheduled to return next Monday. | Hoyer said he hopes the House will be able to return soon to consider the next coronavirus relief package. The Senate is still scheduled to return next Monday. |
| The White House now says press secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s tweet about Trump’s press conference with the governor of Florida was actually referring to a pool spray. | The White House now says press secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s tweet about Trump’s press conference with the governor of Florida was actually referring to a pool spray. |
| It should be noted that a press conference and a pool spray are two very different things. A press conference gives reporters from a number of outlets the chance to question the president on camera, while a pool spray is restricted to the White House press pool that is on duty today. | It should be noted that a press conference and a pool spray are two very different things. A press conference gives reporters from a number of outlets the chance to question the president on camera, while a pool spray is restricted to the White House press pool that is on duty today. |
| The confusion over the press conference comes a day after the White House scheduled then canceled then rescheduled its daily briefing on the coronavirus response. | The confusion over the press conference comes a day after the White House scheduled then canceled then rescheduled its daily briefing on the coronavirus response. |
| Congressional leaders are signaling there is a long fight ahead to reach a deal on the next coronavirus relief bill. | Congressional leaders are signaling there is a long fight ahead to reach a deal on the next coronavirus relief bill. |
| Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday that he wanted to tie new liability protections to additional funding for state and local governments, which Democrats have been pushing for. | Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday that he wanted to tie new liability protections to additional funding for state and local governments, which Democrats have been pushing for. |
| In an interview this morning, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer criticized McConnell for trying to link the funding, which governors say is absolutely necessary, to unrelated demands. | In an interview this morning, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer criticized McConnell for trying to link the funding, which governors say is absolutely necessary, to unrelated demands. |
| “There’s going to be massive layoffs at the state and local level unless we get some money to them quickly,” Schumer said. “And when McConnell says we’ve got to do A, B, C, D, which is irrelevant to getting the people the money they need, that’s wrong.” | “There’s going to be massive layoffs at the state and local level unless we get some money to them quickly,” Schumer said. “And when McConnell says we’ve got to do A, B, C, D, which is irrelevant to getting the people the money they need, that’s wrong.” |
| The Senate will take up this fight starting next Monday, when the chamber reconvenes for the first time in weeks, despite concerns about the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Washington metropolitan area. | The Senate will take up this fight starting next Monday, when the chamber reconvenes for the first time in weeks, despite concerns about the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Washington metropolitan area. |
| The White House has just announced Trump will be holding a press conference with Florida governor Ron DeSantis at the White House in about an hour. | The White House has just announced Trump will be holding a press conference with Florida governor Ron DeSantis at the White House in about an hour. |
| The press conference did not appear on Trump’s original schedule, which indicated the president’s meeting with the Florida governor would be restricted to an in-house pool. | The press conference did not appear on Trump’s original schedule, which indicated the president’s meeting with the Florida governor would be restricted to an in-house pool. |
| The last-minute announcement comes a day after the White House scheduled then canceled then rescheduled its briefing on the coronavirus response. | The last-minute announcement comes a day after the White House scheduled then canceled then rescheduled its briefing on the coronavirus response. |
| The White House has reportedly been trying to scale back the daily briefings, but the president, who has repeatedly boasted about the ratings the briefing attracts, may be hesitant to decrease their frequency. | The White House has reportedly been trying to scale back the daily briefings, but the president, who has repeatedly boasted about the ratings the briefing attracts, may be hesitant to decrease their frequency. |
| Ohio’a vote-by-mail primary is taking place today, providing a reminder that there is in fact still a presidential election going on, even as the country remains focused on limiting the spread of coronavirus. | Ohio’a vote-by-mail primary is taking place today, providing a reminder that there is in fact still a presidential election going on, even as the country remains focused on limiting the spread of coronavirus. |
| Ohio was originally set to hold its primary last month, but in-person voting was canceled at the last minute due to concerns about spreading the virus at polling places. | Ohio was originally set to hold its primary last month, but in-person voting was canceled at the last minute due to concerns about spreading the virus at polling places. |
| Many other states have since followed Ohio’s example, delaying their presidential primaries and expanding absentee voting options to keep in-person voting to a minimum. | Many other states have since followed Ohio’s example, delaying their presidential primaries and expanding absentee voting options to keep in-person voting to a minimum. |
| Although Joe Biden is already the presumptive Democratic nominee, Ohio’s handling of the primary could provide clues as to how the country will handle the general election in November, when the US may be seeing another surge in coronavirus cases. | Although Joe Biden is already the presumptive Democratic nominee, Ohio’s handling of the primary could provide clues as to how the country will handle the general election in November, when the US may be seeing another surge in coronavirus cases. |