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| Coronavirus US live: Trump claims to take hydroxychloroquine and threatens to withdraw US from WHO | Coronavirus US live: Trump claims to take hydroxychloroquine and threatens to withdraw US from WHO |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President claimed to be taking anti-malarial drug despite FDA warnings, as coronavirus cases in the US pass 1.5 million and number of deaths pass 90,000 | President claimed to be taking anti-malarial drug despite FDA warnings, as coronavirus cases in the US pass 1.5 million and number of deaths pass 90,000 |
| Trump is reportedly expected to attend the Senate Republican lunch this afternoon, which did not appear on his initial public schedule for the day. | |
| Vice President Mike Pence was on Capitol Hill this morning meeting with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin about the next coronavirus relief package. | |
| Leaving the meeting to virtually testify before the Senate banking committee, Mnuchin said he and Pence received “a good update” and found the meeting “very helpful.” | |
| Dr Deborah Birx ignored a question about whether she had concerns regarding Trump’s apparent use of hydroxychloroquine. | |
| A reporter greeted Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, as she arrived at the White House this morning. | |
| When the reporter asked Birx about Trump’s disclosure yesterday, Birx said, “Isn’t it great that it’s not going to rain for the next three days?” Okay then. | |
| Again, the Food and Drug Administration has warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment outside of a hospital setting. | |
| White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed this morning that Trump is taking hydroxychloroquine, even though the effectiveness of the anti-malaria drug as a potential coronavirus treatment is very unclear. | |
| McEnany was pressed on why the president’s physician was so vague in his memo about the president’s disclosure. | |
| In the memo, Dr Sean Conley said, “After numerous discussions he and I had regarding the evidence for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.” | |
| McEnany claimed the memo was not meant to confirm the president is using the drug and was instead intended to show Conley “agreed with the analysis that the benefit outwighed the risk.” | |
| This is Joan Greve, taking over for Martin Pengelly. | This is Joan Greve, taking over for Martin Pengelly. |
| Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy this morning, according to reporters on Capitol Hill. | Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy this morning, according to reporters on Capitol Hill. |
| The four Republican leaders are expected to talk about the next coronavirus relief package, which is currently stalled after House Democrats passed their version of the bill last week. | The four Republican leaders are expected to talk about the next coronavirus relief package, which is currently stalled after House Democrats passed their version of the bill last week. |
| Trump has declared the House bill “dead on arrival,” and McConnell has seemed comfortable with slow-walking the next relief package. | Trump has declared the House bill “dead on arrival,” and McConnell has seemed comfortable with slow-walking the next relief package. |
| But with more than 36 million Americans having filed claims for unemployment benefits in the past eight weeks, McConnell (and Trump) may be feeling pressure to act sooner rather than later. | But with more than 36 million Americans having filed claims for unemployment benefits in the past eight weeks, McConnell (and Trump) may be feeling pressure to act sooner rather than later. |
| Department of Unusual But Telling Reports: NBC News says the traditional portrait unveiling ceremony, in which presidents welcome their predecessor back to the White House for the unveiling of a painting, ain’t happening this year, in short, as presidential historian Michael Beschloss told NBC, because: | Department of Unusual But Telling Reports: NBC News says the traditional portrait unveiling ceremony, in which presidents welcome their predecessor back to the White House for the unveiling of a painting, ain’t happening this year, in short, as presidential historian Michael Beschloss told NBC, because: |
| How Trump feels about Obama and how Obama feels about Trump is pretty much known. Neither is keen, to put it lightly, and Trump is currently trying to gin up a scandal, “Obamagate”, which he says is the worst in US political history, although he doesn’t seem sure quite why. | How Trump feels about Obama and how Obama feels about Trump is pretty much known. Neither is keen, to put it lightly, and Trump is currently trying to gin up a scandal, “Obamagate”, which he says is the worst in US political history, although he doesn’t seem sure quite why. |
| According to NBC, in 2012 Obama told George W Bush: “We may have our differences politically, but the presidency transcends those differences.” Not at the moment, it doesn’t. | According to NBC, in 2012 Obama told George W Bush: “We may have our differences politically, but the presidency transcends those differences.” Not at the moment, it doesn’t. |
| Here’s David Smith on how Trump sees Obama: | Here’s David Smith on how Trump sees Obama: |
| Fifteen Republican state attorneys general have filed a legal brief telling a federal judge they support the Trump administration’s attempt to drop the case against the former national security adviser. | Fifteen Republican state attorneys general have filed a legal brief telling a federal judge they support the Trump administration’s attempt to drop the case against the former national security adviser. |
| According to CNN, which said it had obtained a copy of the legal brief, “the Republican attorneys general wrote they believed that Judge Emmet Sullivan’s questioning of the justice department was the court ‘inserting itself’ into ‘prosecutorial discretion’ and politics. | According to CNN, which said it had obtained a copy of the legal brief, “the Republican attorneys general wrote they believed that Judge Emmet Sullivan’s questioning of the justice department was the court ‘inserting itself’ into ‘prosecutorial discretion’ and politics. |
| “They urged Sullivan to dismiss the case, ending Flynn’s legal jeopardy. They also asked him to dismiss Flynn’s charge ‘without irrelevant or personal comment’.” | “They urged Sullivan to dismiss the case, ending Flynn’s legal jeopardy. They also asked him to dismiss Flynn’s charge ‘without irrelevant or personal comment’.” |
| Flynn, a retired general, was fired by Trump for lying to the vice-president about conversations with the Russian ambassador. He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. | Flynn, a retired general, was fired by Trump for lying to the vice-president about conversations with the Russian ambassador. He pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. |
| Obama administration requests to “unmask” him, as an American speaking to surveilled foreign nationals during the investigation of Russian election interference, a routine intelligence practice, are at the heart of Donald Trump’s attempts to create a scandal, so-called “Obamagate”, to ensnare his predecessor and his challenger at the polls this year, former vice-president Joe Biden. | Obama administration requests to “unmask” him, as an American speaking to surveilled foreign nationals during the investigation of Russian election interference, a routine intelligence practice, are at the heart of Donald Trump’s attempts to create a scandal, so-called “Obamagate”, to ensnare his predecessor and his challenger at the polls this year, former vice-president Joe Biden. |
| Judge Sullivan has put a hold on attorney general William Barr’s attempt to drop the case against Flynn, and appointed a retired judge, John Gleeson, to argue against the motion to dismiss. | Judge Sullivan has put a hold on attorney general William Barr’s attempt to drop the case against Flynn, and appointed a retired judge, John Gleeson, to argue against the motion to dismiss. |
| The 15 Republican attorneys general are from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. | The 15 Republican attorneys general are from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. |
| In an open letter last week, almost 2,000 former justice department figures condemned the move to drop the case against Flynn. | In an open letter last week, almost 2,000 former justice department figures condemned the move to drop the case against Flynn. |
| “Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish their enemies and reward their allies are not constitutional republics,” they said. “They are autocracies.” | “Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish their enemies and reward their allies are not constitutional republics,” they said. “They are autocracies.” |
| Barr has his own views on that. On Monday, while Senate judiciary chair Lindsey Graham said he wanted to subpoena records from senior Obama administration figures, the attorney general said he expected no criminal investigations would be opened into Barack Obama or Biden. | Barr has his own views on that. On Monday, while Senate judiciary chair Lindsey Graham said he wanted to subpoena records from senior Obama administration figures, the attorney general said he expected no criminal investigations would be opened into Barack Obama or Biden. |
| But Barr also claimed he would never use the “criminal justice system for partisan political ends”. Which as I noted earlier, is the kind of thing which causes comment when you have a record like Barr’s. | But Barr also claimed he would never use the “criminal justice system for partisan political ends”. Which as I noted earlier, is the kind of thing which causes comment when you have a record like Barr’s. |
| In Congress, the Senate banking, housing and urban affairs committee will today hear from treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, about federal stimulus efforts for the cratering US economy. | In Congress, the Senate banking, housing and urban affairs committee will today hear from treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, about federal stimulus efforts for the cratering US economy. |
| Short version: Powell wants more spending, Mnuchin doesn’t, and neither do Republicans who control the Senate. The House passed a $3tn bill on Friday but Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows it isn’t going anywhere. | Short version: Powell wants more spending, Mnuchin doesn’t, and neither do Republicans who control the Senate. The House passed a $3tn bill on Friday but Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows it isn’t going anywhere. |
| The hearing’s at 10am – Mnuchin, with Vice-President Mike Pence, will also meet Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy on Capitol Hill. | The hearing’s at 10am – Mnuchin, with Vice-President Mike Pence, will also meet Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and House minority leader Kevin McCarthy on Capitol Hill. |
| Donald Trump, meanwhile, doesn’t have a briefing on his schedule today. But he will deliver “remarks on supporting our Nation’s Farmers, Ranchers, and Food Supply Chain” at 11am and hold a cabinet meeting at 3pm. Precedent suggests that will give the president ample time to comment to the press should he so desire. | Donald Trump, meanwhile, doesn’t have a briefing on his schedule today. But he will deliver “remarks on supporting our Nation’s Farmers, Ranchers, and Food Supply Chain” at 11am and hold a cabinet meeting at 3pm. Precedent suggests that will give the president ample time to comment to the press should he so desire. |
| Fox News hosts reacted in differing ways to Trump’s declaration that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to guard against the coronavirus despite the FDA saying that is a bad idea. | Fox News hosts reacted in differing ways to Trump’s declaration that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, to guard against the coronavirus despite the FDA saying that is a bad idea. |
| Fox News, you’ll remember, enthusiastically joined the president in touting the drug in the early stages of the pandemic, until trial results came back and did not provide the results for which its proponents had been hoping. Safe to say, Trump’s Monday bombshell set off a few explosions. | Fox News, you’ll remember, enthusiastically joined the president in touting the drug in the early stages of the pandemic, until trial results came back and did not provide the results for which its proponents had been hoping. Safe to say, Trump’s Monday bombshell set off a few explosions. |
| Anchor Neil Cavuto got out of the gate with a horrified reaction: “This is stunning … A number of studies, those certainly vulnerable in the population have one thing to lose, their lives.” | Anchor Neil Cavuto got out of the gate with a horrified reaction: “This is stunning … A number of studies, those certainly vulnerable in the population have one thing to lose, their lives.” |
| “I only make this not to make a political point here,” Cavuto added, “but a life-and-death point. Be very, very careful.” | “I only make this not to make a political point here,” Cavuto added, “but a life-and-death point. Be very, very careful.” |
| A medical expert was present to say Cavuto’s assessment was correct and the Fox News website published a cautionary story about the drug. | A medical expert was present to say Cavuto’s assessment was correct and the Fox News website published a cautionary story about the drug. |
| But, unsurprisingly, the opinion hosts who take over in the evenings – Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity – didn’t agree. | But, unsurprisingly, the opinion hosts who take over in the evenings – Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity – didn’t agree. |
| Nor did the president, who, entirely presidentially, retweeted a Twitter user whose biography says his “opinions are mine and my stash of lesbian porn proves I’m not homophobic” and who called Cavuto “an asshole”. | Nor did the president, who, entirely presidentially, retweeted a Twitter user whose biography says his “opinions are mine and my stash of lesbian porn proves I’m not homophobic” and who called Cavuto “an asshole”. |
| The president also opined: “Fox News is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet!” | The president also opined: “Fox News is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet!” |
| That would be the Roger Ailes who was Fox News chairman and CEO but was credibly accused of sexual harassment by a number of women, resigned in disgrace and died in 2017. | That would be the Roger Ailes who was Fox News chairman and CEO but was credibly accused of sexual harassment by a number of women, resigned in disgrace and died in 2017. |
| To House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told CNN of Trump’s claim to be taking hydroxychloroquine… | To House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told CNN of Trump’s claim to be taking hydroxychloroquine… |
| Is the president obese, morbidly or otherwise? Not to President Taft Is Stuck In The Bath levels, obviously (key fact, key fact fans: I’m sort of related to Taft by marriage – sort of). But according to his 2019 physical, he is. | Is the president obese, morbidly or otherwise? Not to President Taft Is Stuck In The Bath levels, obviously (key fact, key fact fans: I’m sort of related to Taft by marriage – sort of). But according to his 2019 physical, he is. |
| This was how Politico put it last year, after the president’s last full examination: “President Donald Trump gained 4lbs over the last year, according to a new assessment from his doctor, a weight increase that makes him technically obese. But Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, nonetheless determined that the president ‘remains in very good health overall’ in a memorandum released by the White House.” | This was how Politico put it last year, after the president’s last full examination: “President Donald Trump gained 4lbs over the last year, according to a new assessment from his doctor, a weight increase that makes him technically obese. But Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, nonetheless determined that the president ‘remains in very good health overall’ in a memorandum released by the White House.” |
| According to that assessment, Trump, 73, is 6ft 3in and 243lbs, which is technically obese and sometimes referred to as morbidly obese. Which doesn’t make me, 42, at 6ft 4in and… more than that… feel particularly pleased with myself. | According to that assessment, Trump, 73, is 6ft 3in and 243lbs, which is technically obese and sometimes referred to as morbidly obese. Which doesn’t make me, 42, at 6ft 4in and… more than that… feel particularly pleased with myself. |
| About Dr Conley: he released a memo yesterday about Trump’s claim to be taking a drug which the FDA says you shouldn’t take as a guard against the coronavirus: | About Dr Conley: he released a memo yesterday about Trump’s claim to be taking a drug which the FDA says you shouldn’t take as a guard against the coronavirus: |
| Compare that missive and a White House spokeswoman’s confirmation that Trump is taking the drug to what various prominent doctors were telling the US public last night: | Compare that missive and a White House spokeswoman’s confirmation that Trump is taking the drug to what various prominent doctors were telling the US public last night: |
| “There is no evidence that hydroxychloroquine is effective for the treatment or the prevention of Covid-19. The results to date are not promising.” – Dr Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association | “There is no evidence that hydroxychloroquine is effective for the treatment or the prevention of Covid-19. The results to date are not promising.” – Dr Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association |
| People should not infer from Trump’s example “that it’s an approved approach or proven,” because it’s not – Dr David Aronoff, infectious diseases chief at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville | People should not infer from Trump’s example “that it’s an approved approach or proven,” because it’s not – Dr David Aronoff, infectious diseases chief at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville |
| …and welcome to another day of coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in the US and the politics around it, the day after Donald Trump claimed to be taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug which the FDA warns should not be taken as a response to the coronavirus threat … as a response to the coronavirus threat, then threatened to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization. | …and welcome to another day of coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in the US and the politics around it, the day after Donald Trump claimed to be taking hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug which the FDA warns should not be taken as a response to the coronavirus threat … as a response to the coronavirus threat, then threatened to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization. |
| Trump tweeted a letter to the WHO late on Monday night, saying it had 30 days to make “substantive” changes or his funding freeze would become permanent and he would “reconsider our membership”. Early on Tuesday, a WHO spokeswoman had no immediate comment, Reuters said. The Trump administration says the WHO is too close to China, which it blames for the pandemic, and has also started a fight at the world body over the status of Taiwan. | Trump tweeted a letter to the WHO late on Monday night, saying it had 30 days to make “substantive” changes or his funding freeze would become permanent and he would “reconsider our membership”. Early on Tuesday, a WHO spokeswoman had no immediate comment, Reuters said. The Trump administration says the WHO is too close to China, which it blames for the pandemic, and has also started a fight at the world body over the status of Taiwan. |
| Yes, all that happened. And as it did, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the US passed 1.5m and the number of deaths passed 90,000. | Yes, all that happened. And as it did, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the US passed 1.5m and the number of deaths passed 90,000. |
| As Tom McCarthy reported, hydroxychloroquine “is not approved as a treatment for Covid-19 and Trump has not been diagnosed with the disease, to public knowledge. | As Tom McCarthy reported, hydroxychloroquine “is not approved as a treatment for Covid-19 and Trump has not been diagnosed with the disease, to public knowledge. |
| Where does one go from there? To widespread shocked reaction, for one thing, and to our explainer of what you need to know about the drug for another, and to Fox News hosts, if not all of them, heralding the president’s supposed actions, for one more. | Where does one go from there? To widespread shocked reaction, for one thing, and to our explainer of what you need to know about the drug for another, and to Fox News hosts, if not all of them, heralding the president’s supposed actions, for one more. |
| In his testimony before Congress, by the by, Bright warned of “the darkest winter in modern history” lying ahead if the US economy is reopened too soon, testing is not available as widely as possible and of course a vaccine is swiftly found. The virus, he and other public health experts fear, may come back. | In his testimony before Congress, by the by, Bright warned of “the darkest winter in modern history” lying ahead if the US economy is reopened too soon, testing is not available as widely as possible and of course a vaccine is swiftly found. The virus, he and other public health experts fear, may come back. |
| But Trump, who dropped his hydroxychloroquine bombshell around a teleconference with governors attempting to manage the pandemic, presses on with his determined attempt to “REOPEN OUR COUNTRY” and thereby “TRANSITION TO GREATNESS”. | But Trump, who dropped his hydroxychloroquine bombshell around a teleconference with governors attempting to manage the pandemic, presses on with his determined attempt to “REOPEN OUR COUNTRY” and thereby “TRANSITION TO GREATNESS”. |
| All this and more to come of course, including developments in Trump’s other current project, the “Obamagate” pseudoscandal which some cynical souls suggest might just be an attempt to distract from the administration’s handling of the pandemic and the cratering economy. | All this and more to come of course, including developments in Trump’s other current project, the “Obamagate” pseudoscandal which some cynical souls suggest might just be an attempt to distract from the administration’s handling of the pandemic and the cratering economy. |
| On Monday night, Senate judiciary chair Lindsey Graham said he wanted to subpoena papers from key Obama administration figures: Clapper, Comey, Brennan and so forth. | On Monday night, Senate judiciary chair Lindsey Graham said he wanted to subpoena papers from key Obama administration figures: Clapper, Comey, Brennan and so forth. |
| Earlier, attorney general William Barr said no criminal investigations would be opened into Barack Obama or Joe Biden’s actions in office towards Michael Flynn, the Trump aide who ended up pleading guilty to lying to the FBI before Barr decided to try to drop the case against him and Trump came up with its “scandal” over routine intelligence practices. | Earlier, attorney general William Barr said no criminal investigations would be opened into Barack Obama or Joe Biden’s actions in office towards Michael Flynn, the Trump aide who ended up pleading guilty to lying to the FBI before Barr decided to try to drop the case against him and Trump came up with its “scandal” over routine intelligence practices. |
| Barr also said he wouldn’t use the “criminal justice system for partisan political ends”. Which is, well, the kind of thing which causes comment when you have a record like William Barr’s. | Barr also said he wouldn’t use the “criminal justice system for partisan political ends”. Which is, well, the kind of thing which causes comment when you have a record like William Barr’s. |
| Oh, and there’s a real scandal brewing at the Department of State, where Trump fired the official watchdog, who was investigating secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who Trump then seemed to throw somewhere near, if not yet right under, the bus. | Oh, and there’s a real scandal brewing at the Department of State, where Trump fired the official watchdog, who was investigating secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who Trump then seemed to throw somewhere near, if not yet right under, the bus. |
| More to come. | More to come. |