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Baltimore mayor urges Trump to scrap visit due to coronavirus lockdown order – live Coronavirus US live: Trump appears without mask at Ford plant despite policy
(32 minutes later)
White House announced president and first lady would participate in a Memorial Day ceremony in city he previously called a ‘rodent-infested mess’ President claims he wore mask when away from reporters
Delivering remarks at the Ford plant, Trump repeated the false claim that he was named Michigan Man of the Year before taking office.
CNN has a thorough debunking of that claim:
Trump said he thought his reelection campaign would be able to start holding outdoor rallies again “sooner rather than later.”
“We got to get back to the rallies,” Trump stold reporters while touring the Ford plant in Michigan. “I think it’s going to be sooner rather than later.”
Trump said his campaign would look for “big, outdoor” venues to hold the events. “I don’t wanna have a stadium where you’re supposed to have a person, then seven empty seats,” the president said.
Again, public health experts have urged caution when relaxing social distancing guidelines, which have prohibited large events like rallies, out of concern about a potential surge in coronavirus infections.
Trump showed off the mask he allegedly wore in the “back area” of the Ford manufacturing plant, although he was seen maskless when taking questions from reporters.
“I like it very much,” Trump said of the mask as he displayed it to reporters. “Honestly, I think I look better in the mask,” the president added, saying he took it odd because he was about to deliver a speech.
Asked about Trump not covering his face despite a company policy to do so, the Ford chairman said, “It’s up to him.”
Trump claimed that he had worn a mask “in the back area” of the Ford manufacturing plant but not while he was visible to the reporters who traveled to Michigan with him.
“I had one on before,” Trump told reporters. “I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.”
Asked why he took the mask off, the president argued it was “not necessary” for most of the tour because he is regularly tested for coronavirus.
But public health experts have previously said even those who have previously tested negative for coronavirus should still cover their faces, as the CDC has recommended.
The moment of truth has arrived, and the president is ... not wearing a mask as he tours a Ford manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, despite a policy requiring face coverings.The moment of truth has arrived, and the president is ... not wearing a mask as he tours a Ford manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, despite a policy requiring face coverings.
Trump toured the facility, which has been repurposed to make ventilators for coronavirus patients, with multiple Ford executives, who were wearing masks.Trump toured the facility, which has been repurposed to make ventilators for coronavirus patients, with multiple Ford executives, who were wearing masks.
Michigan’s attorney general Dana Nessel wrote an open letter to Trump yesterday, saying the president had “not only a legal responsibility, but also a social and moral responsibility” to wear a mask during his tour.Michigan’s attorney general Dana Nessel wrote an open letter to Trump yesterday, saying the president had “not only a legal responsibility, but also a social and moral responsibility” to wear a mask during his tour.
“While my Department will not act to prevent you from touring Ford’s plant, I ask that while you are on tour you respect the great efforts of the men and women at Ford — and across this State — by wearing a facial covering,” Nessel wrote. “It is not just the policy of Ford, by virtue of the Governor’s Executive Orders. It is currently the law of this State.”“While my Department will not act to prevent you from touring Ford’s plant, I ask that while you are on tour you respect the great efforts of the men and women at Ford — and across this State — by wearing a facial covering,” Nessel wrote. “It is not just the policy of Ford, by virtue of the Governor’s Executive Orders. It is currently the law of this State.”
Speaking during his visit to Michigan this afternoon, it looks like the president is putting pressure on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue guidelines of some kind that will indicate it’s okay to restart in-person church services.Speaking during his visit to Michigan this afternoon, it looks like the president is putting pressure on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue guidelines of some kind that will indicate it’s okay to restart in-person church services.
He made an eyebrow-raising statement a little earlier when he told a gathering of African American leaders: “We are opening our churches again. I think the CDC is going to put something out very soon, spoke to them today. I think they are going to put something out very soon. We got to open our churches.”He made an eyebrow-raising statement a little earlier when he told a gathering of African American leaders: “We are opening our churches again. I think the CDC is going to put something out very soon, spoke to them today. I think they are going to put something out very soon. We got to open our churches.”
The president said the guidance was expected today or tomorrow. “I said you better put it out and they’re doing it and they’re going to be issuing something today or tomorrow and churches are going to get our churches open,” Trump said.The president said the guidance was expected today or tomorrow. “I said you better put it out and they’re doing it and they’re going to be issuing something today or tomorrow and churches are going to get our churches open,” Trump said.
Leading federal public health officials have repeatedly urged caution about easing social distancing restrictions, warning it could cause a surge in coronavirus infections.Leading federal public health officials have repeatedly urged caution about easing social distancing restrictions, warning it could cause a surge in coronavirus infections.
Klobuchar being vetted as possible VP choice.Klobuchar being vetted as possible VP choice.
No surprise in these reports, obviously, it would be a total shock if Joe Biden wasn’t strongly considering Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar to be his running mate.No surprise in these reports, obviously, it would be a total shock if Joe Biden wasn’t strongly considering Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar to be his running mate.
But, while not officially confirmed, it’s always interesting to hear these things on the political grapevine.But, while not officially confirmed, it’s always interesting to hear these things on the political grapevine.
Klobuchar would be an asset to Biden as a moderate mid-westerner appealing to swing voters in key states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.Klobuchar would be an asset to Biden as a moderate mid-westerner appealing to swing voters in key states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.
She had a not-too-shabby campaign and was a hit at some of the Democratic debates with her pithy common sense approach, but struggled in the primaries and dropped out and endorsed Biden on the eve of Super Tuesday.She had a not-too-shabby campaign and was a hit at some of the Democratic debates with her pithy common sense approach, but struggled in the primaries and dropped out and endorsed Biden on the eve of Super Tuesday.
Biden has pledged to select a woman as his vice-presidential running mate. He is under pressure to pick a woman of color, but there is a relatively long and varied list of contenders for the ticket.Biden has pledged to select a woman as his vice-presidential running mate. He is under pressure to pick a woman of color, but there is a relatively long and varied list of contenders for the ticket.
Trump is now participating in a listening session with African-American leaders at a Ford manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which has been repurposed to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients.Trump is now participating in a listening session with African-American leaders at a Ford manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which has been repurposed to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients.
During the listening session, the president is sitting in front of a backdrop with the slogan “Transition to Greatness.”During the listening session, the president is sitting in front of a backdrop with the slogan “Transition to Greatness.”
Trump has repeatedly said in recent weeks that the US is “transitioning to greatness” in an effort to put the emphasis on the country’s very gradual reopening, even as the coronavirus death toll approaches 100,000.Trump has repeatedly said in recent weeks that the US is “transitioning to greatness” in an effort to put the emphasis on the country’s very gradual reopening, even as the coronavirus death toll approaches 100,000.
Alumni of presidential campaigns have said the slogan is an attempt to deflect attention away from Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, which has been widely criticized, and downplay economic distress as he seeks reelection.Alumni of presidential campaigns have said the slogan is an attempt to deflect attention away from Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, which has been widely criticized, and downplay economic distress as he seeks reelection.
Nearly three quarters of social media users think Trump should be banned or suspended from platforms for spreading false information about coronavirus.Nearly three quarters of social media users think Trump should be banned or suspended from platforms for spreading false information about coronavirus.
According to a Morning Consult poll of 2,044 social media users, 37% say Trump should be banned for spreading such information, while 36% say he should be temporarily suspended.According to a Morning Consult poll of 2,044 social media users, 37% say Trump should be banned for spreading such information, while 36% say he should be temporarily suspended.
There were marked partisan divisions in the polling results. While 23% of Republicans said the president should be banned, 47% of Democrats said the same.There were marked partisan divisions in the polling results. While 23% of Republicans said the president should be banned, 47% of Democrats said the same.
Twitter announced last week that it would apply a new label to tweets containing misleading information about the pandemic.Twitter announced last week that it would apply a new label to tweets containing misleading information about the pandemic.
However, the platform chose not to apply the label to multiple tweets from prominent Trump allies citing a press release that falsely claimed hydroxychloroquine has shown to be an effective treatment against coronavirus.However, the platform chose not to apply the label to multiple tweets from prominent Trump allies citing a press release that falsely claimed hydroxychloroquine has shown to be an effective treatment against coronavirus.
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale was one of the people circulating the statement from a widely criticized anti-vaccine group.Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale was one of the people circulating the statement from a widely criticized anti-vaccine group.
Trump lashed out against Fox News over Twitter, complaining that the network “is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd,” which of course is not actually the job of a news outlet.Trump lashed out against Fox News over Twitter, complaining that the network “is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd,” which of course is not actually the job of a news outlet.
The president said some Fox News hosts and commentators, such as anchor Neil Cavuto and former DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile, “repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points.”The president said some Fox News hosts and commentators, such as anchor Neil Cavuto and former DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile, “repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points.”
Cavuto expressed alarm earlier this week when Trump said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent coronavirus, even though the FDA has said the anti-malaria drug should only be used as a potential coronavirus treatment in hospital settings.Cavuto expressed alarm earlier this week when Trump said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent coronavirus, even though the FDA has said the anti-malaria drug should only be used as a potential coronavirus treatment in hospital settings.
“If you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus, or in a worst-case scenario you are dealing with the virus and you are in this vulnerable population, it will kill you,” Cavuto said Monday. “I cannot stress that enough. This will kill you.”“If you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus, or in a worst-case scenario you are dealing with the virus and you are in this vulnerable population, it will kill you,” Cavuto said Monday. “I cannot stress that enough. This will kill you.”
Trump responded to Cavuto’s concerns by retweeting allies who called the an “idiot,” “foolish,” “gullible” and “an asshole.”Trump responded to Cavuto’s concerns by retweeting allies who called the an “idiot,” “foolish,” “gullible” and “an asshole.”
The Baltimore mayor is urging Trump to reconsider his planned visit to the Fort McHenry National Monument on Monday because the city remains under a stay-at-home order.The Baltimore mayor is urging Trump to reconsider his planned visit to the Fort McHenry National Monument on Monday because the city remains under a stay-at-home order.
The White House announced last night that the president and first lady would participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at the site “to honor the American heroes who have sacrificed their lives serving in the US armed forces”.The White House announced last night that the president and first lady would participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at the site “to honor the American heroes who have sacrificed their lives serving in the US armed forces”.
But the Democratic mayor, Bernard Young, implored the president to reconsider the visit as the city continues to work to keep the spread of coronavirus under control.But the Democratic mayor, Bernard Young, implored the president to reconsider the visit as the city continues to work to keep the spread of coronavirus under control.
“The city of Baltimore remains under a stay-at-home order that was put in place to help safeguard our residents from the dangers associated with Covid-19,” Young said in a statement.“The city of Baltimore remains under a stay-at-home order that was put in place to help safeguard our residents from the dangers associated with Covid-19,” Young said in a statement.
“I wish that the president, as our nation’s leader, would set a positive example and not travel during this holiday weekend.” Young said that the city would “be prepared” if Trump decided to go ahead with his visit.“I wish that the president, as our nation’s leader, would set a positive example and not travel during this holiday weekend.” Young said that the city would “be prepared” if Trump decided to go ahead with his visit.
This is only the latest clash between Trump and Baltimore, which is about 40 miles from the White House. The president called the city a “rat and rodent-infested mess” last year, during a clash with the late Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings.This is only the latest clash between Trump and Baltimore, which is about 40 miles from the White House. The president called the city a “rat and rodent-infested mess” last year, during a clash with the late Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings.
Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, threatened to subpoena secretary of state Mike Pompeo over documents provided to two Senate committees regarding an investigation related to Joe Biden.
“I am deeply concerned by what appears to be a partisan misuse of Department of State resources to assist Senate Republicans in a political smear of Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden,” Engel wrote in a letter to Pompeo.
Engel said that, days after the conclusion of Trump’s impeachment trial, the state department handed over thousands of pages of documents to Senate Republicans “to manufacture baseless, blatantly political attacks” against Biden’s son, Hunter.
The New York Democrat noted that the release of documents came after the state department spent months refusing to cooperate with congressional subpoenas related to the impeachment inquiry.
“I formally requested on May 14 that you provide me with copies of the documents which the Department has provided to the two Senate Committees and formally request that you provide these to my Committee,” Engel wrote.
“However, if the requested documents are not produced in full by the close of business on June 1, 2020, then I am prepared to issue subpoenas for the relevant documents and the testimony of relevant Department officials.”
The Senate homeland security committee voted along party lines yesterday to approve a subpoena to a Democratic public relations firm in connection to the Biden investigation, sparking Democratic accusations that Republican senators were “‘doing the president’s personal bidding.”
Trump said it “looks like” the next G7 summit will be held in person in Washington, even though the city is currently still under a stay-at-home order.
“It looks like the G7 will be on, a full G7, and we’ll be announcing something early next week,” the president told reporters before leaving for Michigan.
Trump said the summit, which was previously scheduled to begin at Camp David on June 10, would be held “probably at the White House but maybe a little combination at Camp David, but primarily at the White House.”
The White House said in March that the summit would take place via video teleconference, as other recent G7 meetings have been conducted.
But Trump reversed that yesterday, saying in a tweet that he was “considering” holding the summit in person, despite potential health concerns about having world leaders travel internationally in the middle of a global pandemic.
Representatives for French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said they would consider traveling to Camp David for the summit, health conditions permitting.
In a moment of very confusing wording, Trump told reporters he had tested “very positively” for coronavirus, meaning he had tested negative.
“I tested very positively,” Trump said of his coronavirus test this morning. “I tested positively toward negative, right? So I tested perfectly this morning, meaning I tested negative.” Got that, readers?
The president is regularly tested for coronavirus, as are his staff members and guests, as well as reporters who attend the White House briefings.
Two White House staffers, including own of the president’s military valets, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, raising concerns about the spread of the virus in the West Wing.
Trump once again lashed out against states seeking to expand absentee voting options to limit the potential spread of coronavirus at polling places.
“We don’t want them to do mail-in ballots because it’s going to lead to total election fraud,” Trump said before traveling to Michigan to tour a Ford manufacturing plant.
Yesterday, the president threatened to withhold funding from Michigan over its decision to mail absentee ballot applications to all registered voters.
“We don’t want them to do mail-in ballots. We don’t want anyone to do mail-in ballots,” Trump said.
The president, who voted remotely in Florida’s primary earlier this year, said it was acceptable in some circumstances to vote by mail, but he argued it should not be a widespread practice.
“We don’t want to take any chances with fraud in our elections,” Trump said. Voter fraud is very rare, and some of the president’s critics have suggested he is actually trying to drive down turnout in the 2020 election, even though it’s unclear how expanded absentee voting would affect turnout.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
Michael Cohen was released from prison over concerns about coronavirus. The president’s former lawyer and fixer was released early to home confinement and said in a tweet, “There is so much I want to say and intend to say. But now is not the right time. Soon.”
Trump is traveling to Michigan to tour a Ford manufacturing plant. The president has repeatedly clashed with Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, and threatened to withhold funding from the state over efforts to expand vote by mail.
John Ratcliffe was confirmed as the next director of national intelligence. The Republican congressman was approved on a party-line vote of 49 to 44, making the staunch Trump ally the first director of national intelligence to be confirmed in a partisan fashion.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Congressman John Ratcliffe has been confirmed as the next director of national intelligence in a straight party-line vote.
The final vote was 49-44, with even moderate Democratic senators like Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin refusing to back the Trump ally’s nomination.
The vote makes Ratcliffe the first director of national intelligence to be confirmed along party lines. In comparison, Trump’s first director of national intellifence, Dan Coats, was confirmed in a vote of 85-12.
Ratcliffe will replace acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell, whose lack of experience in the intelligence community had sparked serious concerns about keeping him in the role.
However, Ratcliffe’s nomination had also been criticized by Democrats, given the Texas congressman’s minimal intelligence experience. Ratcliffe was forced to withdraw from consideration for the role last year but was formally nominated earlier this year.
Ratcliffe’s confirmation will permanently install a staunch Trump ally as a top leader in the intelligence community, which the president has repeatedly criticized for its conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, indicated he would soon speak publicly after being released from prison to home confinement.
“I am so glad to be home and back with my family,” Cohen said in a tweet shortly after arriving back at his New York apartment. “There is so much I want to say and intend to say. But now is not the right time. Soon.”
Cohen pleaded guilty to bank fraud, tax fraud and campaign finance law violations in 2018 in connection to a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election, which was meant to silence women who said they had had extramarital affairs with Trump.
In his explosive 2019 appearance before Congress, Cohen said Trump had directed him to lie about a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels and predicted the president would not allow for a peaceful transition of power if he lost his bid for reelection.
The Senate foreign relations committee has advanced the nomination of Michael Pack to lead the US Agency for Global Media, even though the conservative filmmaker is under investigation by the DC attorney general.
Pack’s nomination was approved by the committee on a party-line vote of 12-10, with Democrats pushing for the vote to be postponed to address concerns about the investigation into Pack.
Senator Bob Menendez, the ranking member of the Senate foreign relations committee, said yesterday he had been notified the DC attorney general was “actively investigating” allegations that Pack had illegally funneled money from his nonprofit group to his for-profit film company.
The Republican chairman of the panel, senator Jim Risch, said he would stand down on the nomination if the department of justice asked him to, but apparently the department did not intervene.
Pack still needs to be approved by the full Senate, and Republicans can only afford to lose three votes on his nomination to get him confirmed.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime lawyer and fixer, has arrived at his New York home after being released from prison.
Photographers were present to capture Cohen, who was wearing a mask, entering his apartment, where he will serve out the remainder of his prison sentence.
Cohen began serving his sentence last May and was originally scheduled to be released in November 2021, but he was granted home confinement out of concerns about the spread of coronavirus at prisons.
Another one of the president’s former associates, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, was also released to home confinement last week.
The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, predicted the US economy would “bottom-out” during the second quarter of the year and see a “gigantic increase” in the fourth quarter.
However, many public health experts have warned that the country could see a second wave of coronavirus cases at the end of the year, which could cause more economic devastation.
Economists now also fear that the job losses caused by the pandemic may be much longer-lasting than previously thought.
“I hate to say it, but this is going to take longer and look grimmer than we thought,” Nicholas Bloom, an economist at Stanford University, told the New York Times.
“Firms intend to hire these people back,” Bloom added. “But we know from the past that these aspirations often don’t turn out to be true.”