theguardian--2020-05-05--Trump administration drafts pact for mining on the moon

The Trump administration is drafting a legal blueprint for mining on the moon under a new US-sponsored international agreement called the Artemis Accords , according to people familiar with the proposed pact .
The agreement would be the latest effort to cultivate allies around Nasa ’ s plan to put humans and space stations on the moon within the next decade , and comes as the civilian space agency plays a growing role in implementing American foreign policy .
The draft pact has not been formally shared with US allies yet .
The Trump administration and other spacefaring countries see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in outer space .
The moon also has value for long-term scientific research that could enable future missions to Mars – activities that fall under a regime of international space law widely viewed as outdated .
The Artemis Accords , named after the Nasa ’ s new Artemis moon program , propose “ safety zones ” that would surround future moon bases to prevent damage or interference from rival countries or companies operating in close proximity .
The pact also aims to provide a framework under international law for companies to own the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the coming weeks , US officials plan to formally negotiate the accords with space partners such as Canada , Japan , and European countries , as well as the United Arab Emirates , opening talks with countries the Trump administration sees as having “ like-minded ” interests in lunar mining .
Russia , a major partner with Nasa on the International Space Station , will not be an early partner in these accords , the sources said , as the Pentagon increasingly views Moscow as hostile for making “ threatening ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earth orbit .
The United States is a member of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and sees the “ safety zones ” as an implementation of one of its highly debated articles .
It states that celestial bodies and the moon are “ not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty , by means of use or occupation , or by any other means.
” “ This isn ’ t some territorial claim , ” said one source , who requested anonymity to discuss the agreement .
The safety zones , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would allow for coordination between space actors without technically claiming territory as sovereign , he said .
“ The idea is if you are going to be coming near someone ’ s operations , and they ’ ve declared safety zones around it , then you need to reach out to them in advance , consult and figure out how you can do that safely for everyone.
” The Artemis Accords are part of the Trump administration ’ s plan to forgo the treaty process at the United Nations and instead reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partly because a treaty process would take too long and working with non-spacefaring states would be unproductive , a senior administration official told Reuters .
As countries increasingly treat space as a new military domain , the US-led agreement is also emblematic of Nasa ’ s growing role as a tool of American diplomacy and is expected to stoke controversy among Washington ’ s space rivals such as China .
“ Nasa ’ s all about science and technology and discovery , which are critically important , but I think less salient is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of diplomacy , ” Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday .
Nasa is investing tens of billions of dollars into the Artemis program , which calls for putting humans on the moon by 2024 and building up a “ sustainable presence ” on the lunar south pole thereafter , with private companies mining lunar rocks and subsurface water that can be converted to rocket fuel .
The United States enacted a law in 2015 granting companies the property rights to resources they mine in outer space , but no such laws exist in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor-in-chief emerita of the Journal of Space Law , said an international agreement must come before staking out “ some kind of exclusive area for science or for whatever reason ” .
“ It is not anything any nation can do unilaterally and still have it be legal , ” she said .

The Trump administration is drafting a legal blueprint for mining on the moon under a new US-sponsored international agreement called the Artemis Accords, according to people familiar with the proposed pact.
The agreement would be the latest effort to cultivate allies around Nasa’s plan to put humans and space stations on the moon within the next decade, and comes as the civilian space agency plays a growing role in implementing American foreign policy. The draft pact has not been formally shared with US allies yet.
The Trump administration and other spacefaring countries see the moon as a key strategic asset in outer space. The moon also has value for long-term scientific research that could enable future missions to Mars – activities that fall under a regime of international space law widely viewed as outdated.
The Artemis Accords, named after the Nasa’s new Artemis moon program, propose “safety zones” that would surround future moon bases to prevent damage or interference from rival countries or companies operating in close proximity.
The pact also aims to provide a framework under international law for companies to own the resources they mine, the sources said.
In the coming weeks, US officials plan to formally negotiate the accords with space partners such as Canada, Japan, and European countries, as well as the United Arab Emirates, opening talks with countries the Trump administration sees as having “like-minded” interests in lunar mining.
Russia, a major partner with Nasa on the International Space Station, will not be an early partner in these accords, the sources said, as the Pentagon increasingly views Moscow as hostile for making “threatening” satellite maneuvers toward US spy satellites in Earth orbit.
The United States is a member of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and sees the “safety zones” as an implementation of one of its highly debated articles. It states that celestial bodies and the moon are “not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.”
“This isn’t some territorial claim,” said one source, who requested anonymity to discuss the agreement. The safety zones, whose size would vary depending on the operation, would allow for coordination between space actors without technically claiming territory as sovereign, he said.
“The idea is if you are going to be coming near someone’s operations, and they’ve declared safety zones around it, then you need to reach out to them in advance, consult and figure out how you can do that safely for everyone.”
The Artemis Accords are part of the Trump administration’s plan to forgo the treaty process at the United Nations and instead reach agreement with “like-minded nations”, partly because a treaty process would take too long and working with non-spacefaring states would be unproductive, a senior administration official told Reuters.
As countries increasingly treat space as a new military domain, the US-led agreement is also emblematic of Nasa’s growing role as a tool of American diplomacy and is expected to stoke controversy among Washington’s space rivals such as China.
“Nasa’s all about science and technology and discovery, which are critically important, but I think less salient is the idea that Nasa is a tool of diplomacy,” Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday.
Nasa is investing tens of billions of dollars into the Artemis program, which calls for putting humans on the moon by 2024 and building up a “sustainable presence” on the lunar south pole thereafter, with private companies mining lunar rocks and subsurface water that can be converted to rocket fuel.
The United States enacted a law in 2015 granting companies the property rights to resources they mine in outer space, but no such laws exist in the international community.
Joanne Gabrynowicz, editor-in-chief emerita of the Journal of Space Law, said an international agreement must come before staking out “some kind of exclusive area for science or for whatever reason”.
“It is not anything any nation can do unilaterally and still have it be legal,” she said.


theguardian--2020-05-05--Ousted US government scientist files whistleblower complaint over Covid-19 concerns

A US government scientist has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging he was ousted from his position after raising concerns that the Trump administration wanted to “ flood ” coronavirus hotspots like New York and New Jersey with a malaria drug that Donald Trump was pushing despite scant scientific evidence it helped .
Rick Bright , former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , filed the complaint on Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel , a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints .
He alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a malaria drug favored by the president .
Bright also said the Trump administration rejected his warnings on Covid-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
Bright said he “ acted with urgency ” to address the growing spread of Covid-19 after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January .
He said he “ encountered resistance from HHS leadership , including health and human services secretary [ Alex ] Azar , who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event ” .
Bright alleges in the complaint that political appointees at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tried to promote hydroxychloroquine “ as a panacea ” .
The officials also “ demanded that New York and New Jersey be ‘ flooded ’ with these drugs , which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA ” , the complaint says .
But Bright opposed broad use of the drug .
He felt an urgent need to tell the public that there wasn ’ t enough scientific evidence to support using the drugs for Covid-19 patients , the complaint states .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bright said : “ While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘ outside the box ’ for effective treatments , I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public.
” Last month , the US Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies .
In an alert , regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart-related side-effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine .
The decades-old drugs , also prescribed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of side-effects , including heart rhythm problems , severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage .
Associated Press contributed to this report

A US government scientist has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging he was ousted from his position after raising concerns that the Trump administration wanted to “flood” coronavirus hotspots like New York and New Jersey with a malaria drug that Donald Trump was pushing despite scant scientific evidence it helped.
Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed the complaint on Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints. He alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by the president.
Bright also said the Trump administration rejected his warnings on Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Bright said he “acted with urgency” to address the growing spread of Covid-19 after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.
He said he “encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including health and human services secretary [Alex] Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event”.
Bright alleges in the complaint that political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services had tried to promote hydroxychloroquine “as a panacea”. The officials also “demanded that New York and New Jersey be ‘flooded’ with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA”, the complaint says.
But Bright opposed broad use of the drug. He felt an urgent need to tell the public that there wasn’t enough scientific evidence to support using the drugs for Covid-19 patients, the complaint states.
In a statement issued late last month, Bright said: “While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘outside the box’ for effective treatments, I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public.”
Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies. In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart-related side-effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.
The decades-old drugs, also prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause a number of side-effects, including heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage.
Associated Press contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-05-05--'The House is a set-up': Trump says Fauci to testify in Senate and urges US to reopen – video

The US president said the government 's top infectious disease expert , Dr Anthony Fauci , would not testify in @ @ @ @ @ only before the Senate .
He argued this was because 'the House is a set-up @ @ @ @ @ bunch of Trump haters . '
He later said the US 'wants ' and 'needs @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak • Coronavirus US live : Cuomo says New York reopening wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ Americans back to work • See all our coronavirus coverage

The US president said the government's top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, would not testify in the House of Representatives but only before the Senate. He argued this was because 'the House is a set-up. The House is a bunch of Trump haters.'
He later said the US 'wants' and 'needs' to reopen amid the coronavirus outbreak


theguardian--2020-05-06--Trump Death Clock seeks to bring ‘accountability for reckless leadership’

Donald Trump has been accused of personally causing the deaths of 40,000 Americans through his “ reckless ” handling of the Covid-19 pandemic , in a new website launched on Wednesday under the provocative title Trump Death Clock .
The website , created by independent film-maker Eugene Jarecki , is a conscious echo of the National Debt Clock which since 1989 has given a running score near Times Square in Manhattan of total US borrowing .
The Trump Death Clock extends the idea dramatically by providing a tracker measured not in dollars but in lives allegedly lost by the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am seeking accountability for reckless leadership , ” Jarecki told the Guardian .
“ We have meticulously isolated just that portion of the US death toll where one can see a specific line between the president ’ s decisions and actions and the loss of life.
” The Trump Death Clock provides a bald tally of lives that it claims were needlessly lost to Covid-19 that ticks upwards in real time .
At the time of reporting this article , it stood at 39,435 – laying responsibility for almost 40,000 American lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure is in turn based upon the authoritative running tally of total deaths from Covid-19 compiled by the Covid Tracking Project .
From its daily read-out of coronavirus fatalities , Jarecki ’ s team has created the Trump Death Clock through a simple mathematical calculation of 60 % of total deaths from the disease in the US .
The 60 % ratio used in the death clock was drawn from a study by two prominent epidemiologists , Britta Jewell of Imperial College , London , and Nicholas Jewell , a professor of biostatistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times in April , they posited the theory that if Trump had introduced the White House social distancing guidelines not on 16 March but a week earlier on 9 March , a 60 % reduction in the expected final death count could have resulted given the exponential spread of the virus .
That formula runs the risk of coming across as reductionist and motivated by political animus .
But Jarecki , whose previous work in movies has focused on abuses in public life , insists that his clock is founded upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts and epidemiologists , and that it is conservative in its estimations .
“ I believe we need a national measure of the cost of the recklessness of the president ’ s pandemic response , ” Jarecki said .
“ He was advised multiple times by the intelligence services and his own public health experts of the significance of this pandemic and the need to take mitigating action , and yet those warnings were not acted upon.
” Even Dr Anthony Fauci , the leading infectious disease expert in the US who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response , has publicly noted the cost in American lives of failing to lock down early on .
“ If you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier , you could have saved lives , ” he told CNN .
Jarecki is already thinking about giving physical form to his Trump Death Clock following the example of the National Debt Clock .
He told the Guardian that as he was developing his idea , associates encouraged him to create an actual physical tracker that might be placed in full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large cities across the country .
Trump has responded to criticism of his handling of the pandemic with volatility in the past .
He has accused several reporters of being “ nasty ” and of peddling “ fake news ” after they questioned him during his daily White House coronavirus briefings .
Asked whether he was anxious about how Trump might respond to being directly accused of causing tens of thousands of deaths , Jarecki replied : “ I can ’ t think about that .
I feel I owe it to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more responsible leadership going forward so that they did not die in vain .
”

Donald Trump has been accused of personally causing the deaths of 40,000 Americans through his “reckless” handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, in a new website launched on Wednesday under the provocative title Trump Death Clock.
The website, created by independent film-maker Eugene Jarecki, is a conscious echo of the National Debt Clock which since 1989 has given a running score near Times Square in Manhattan of total US borrowing. The Trump Death Clock extends the idea dramatically by providing a tracker measured not in dollars but in lives allegedly lost by the president’s own inept actions.
“I am seeking accountability for reckless leadership,” Jarecki told the Guardian. “We have meticulously isolated just that portion of the US death toll where one can see a specific line between the president’s decisions and actions and the loss of life.”
The Trump Death Clock provides a bald tally of lives that it claims were needlessly lost to Covid-19 that ticks upwards in real time. At the time of reporting this article, it stood at 39,435 – laying responsibility for almost 40,000 American lives at the White House door.
The figure is in turn based upon the authoritative running tally of total deaths from Covid-19 compiled by the Covid Tracking Project. From its daily read-out of coronavirus fatalities, Jarecki’s team has created the Trump Death Clock through a simple mathematical calculation of 60% of total deaths from the disease in the US.
The 60% ratio used in the death clock was drawn from a study by two prominent epidemiologists, Britta Jewell of Imperial College, London, and Nicholas Jewell, a professor of biostatistics at UC Berkeley. Writing in the New York Times in April, they posited the theory that if Trump had introduced the White House social distancing guidelines not on 16 March but a week earlier on 9 March, a 60% reduction in the expected final death count could have resulted given the exponential spread of the virus.
That formula runs the risk of coming across as reductionist and motivated by political animus. But Jarecki, whose previous work in movies has focused on abuses in public life, insists that his clock is founded upon the credible scientific thinking of top public health experts and epidemiologists, and that it is conservative in its estimations.
“I believe we need a national measure of the cost of the recklessness of the president’s pandemic response,” Jarecki said. “He was advised multiple times by the intelligence services and his own public health experts of the significance of this pandemic and the need to take mitigating action, and yet those warnings were not acted upon.”
Even Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert in the US who has been central to the federal Covid-19 response, has publicly noted the cost in American lives of failing to lock down early on. “If you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives,” he told CNN.
Jarecki is already thinking about giving physical form to his Trump Death Clock following the example of the National Debt Clock. He told the Guardian that as he was developing his idea, associates encouraged him to create an actual physical tracker that might be placed in full public view in New York and other large cities across the country.
Trump has responded to criticism of his handling of the pandemic with volatility in the past. He has accused several reporters of being “nasty” and of peddling “fake news” after they questioned him during his daily White House coronavirus briefings.
Asked whether he was anxious about how Trump might respond to being directly accused of causing tens of thousands of deaths, Jarecki replied: “I can’t think about that. I feel I owe it to people who lost their lives to demand accountability and more responsible leadership going forward so that they did not die in vain.”


theguardian--2020-05-06--Judge reinstates New York's presidential primary after state cancelled it

A federal judge has reinstated New York ’ s June Democratic presidential primary , siding with Andrew Yang , the former candidate , who sued the state in federal court and called the recent decision to cancel the contest “ authoritarian and illegal ” .
The judge ruled Tuesday that the state had wrongfully removed the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders , Yang and eight other former presidential candidates from the ballot .
The decision came after two Democrats on the state ’ s election commission cancelled the presidential primary last week , relying on a new budget provision allowing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns .
The move outraged Sanders supporters and other progressives who said New York , a Democratic bastion , was actively disenfranchising voters .
“ It goes against what the party stands for , ” said Heather Key , who volunteered for the Sanders campaign .
“ They ’ re always on the case about gerrymandering and cheating with the GOP .
And yet here they are controlling whether we can vote for the president of our choosing.
” The US district judge Analisa Torres wrote that the state had deprived voters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
New York voters , she said , weren ’ t just voting for a presidential candidate , but also for delegates who could influence the direction of the Democratic National Convention in August .
( Sanders and Biden announced an agreement last month to let Sanders keep hundreds of delegates , and make sure the senator is represented at the Democratic national convention . )
“ The removal of presidential contenders from the primary ballot not only deprived those candidates of the chance to garner votes for the Democratic party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opportunity to elect delegates who could push their point of view in that forum.
” Election officials had argued that holding a largely symbolic presidential primary would be costly and put people ’ s health at risk during the coronavirus pandemic .
In Wisconsin and Florida , poll workers and voters tested positive for Covid-19 after election day .
“ [ T ] he holding of a presidential primary could strain the system to the point of buckling , ” Robert Brehm , the co-executive director of the New York State Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing .
But Torres noted that the state was encouraging voters to vote by mail and doubted that cancelling the presidential primary entirely would significantly stop the spread of Covid-19 .
( A spokesman for the New York State Board of Elections declined to comment on the ruling , saying lawyers were reviewing it . )
Before Tuesday ’ s decision , Sanders supporters said the cancellation amounted to a stunning episode of voter suppression from Democrats at a time when the party is making expanding voting rights a core part of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insult to us , ” said Habiba Choudhary , who had been canvassing for the senator .
But New York has long placed severe restrictions on voting , despite its reputation as one of the most progressive states in the US .
The state had one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the 2016 election .
Biden is unlikely to lose New York and its 29 electoral college votes in November .
But not giving Sanders supporters the chance to cast even a symbolic vote for him would have left his supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Melanie D ’ Arrigo , who is running in a Democratic congressional primary in June .
“ Will those voters knock doors , will those voters make calls , will those voters advocate on behalf of Joe Biden ?
I don ’ t know , ” she said .
Some voters , such as Key , had also considered not voting in the general election at all .
It ’ s possible the back and forth of the election commission could still cause confusion .
The cancellation would have meant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties will have a reduction in the number of voters who have primaries , and seven counties wouldn ’ t have had a primary at all .
Campaigns have been relying on text messaging and email campaigns to keep people informed .
“ It ’ s uncanny how many people think the next election is in November now , ” said Jabari Brisport , a Democrat who is running in a primary for a state senate seat in Brooklyn .
There ’ s more at stake than the presidential primary in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wave of progressive politicians , most notable Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
Brisport said botching the primary would make it harder to replicate that success .
“ A lot of progressive challengers like myself see this a direct attempt to protect incumbents , ” he said of the previously cancelled presidential primary .
With just a few months until the Democratic conventions , Rachel Himes , an organizer with the Democratic Socialists of America who canvassed for Sanders , said New York voters deserve to have their voices heard .
“ The principle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like the election is a foregone conclusion , everyone should be able to vote , ” said Himes .
“ People don ’ t have investment in the process , and why would they ?
”

A federal judge has reinstated New York’s June Democratic presidential primary, siding with Andrew Yang, the former candidate, who sued the state in federal court and called the recent decision to cancel the contest “authoritarian and illegal”.
The judge ruled Tuesday that the state had wrongfully removed the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, Yang and eight other former presidential candidates from the ballot.
The decision came after two Democrats on the state’s election commission cancelled the presidential primary last week, relying on a new budget provision allowing them to remove presidential candidates who suspended their campaigns. The move outraged Sanders supporters and other progressives who said New York, a Democratic bastion, was actively disenfranchising voters.
“It goes against what the party stands for,” said Heather Key, who volunteered for the Sanders campaign. “They’re always on the case about gerrymandering and cheating with the GOP. And yet here they are controlling whether we can vote for the president of our choosing.”
The US district judge Analisa Torres wrote that the state had deprived voters of their constitutional guarantee of freedom of association. New York voters, she said, weren’t just voting for a presidential candidate, but also for delegates who could influence the direction of the Democratic National Convention in August. (Sanders and Biden announced an agreement last month to let Sanders keep hundreds of delegates, and make sure the senator is represented at the Democratic national convention.)
“The removal of presidential contenders from the primary ballot not only deprived those candidates of the chance to garner votes for the Democratic party’s nomination … it deprived Democratic voters of the opportunity to elect delegates who could push their point of view in that forum.”
Election officials had argued that holding a largely symbolic presidential primary would be costly and put people’s health at risk during the coronavirus pandemic. In Wisconsin and Florida, poll workers and voters tested positive for Covid-19 after election day. “[T]he holding of a presidential primary could strain the system to the point of buckling,” Robert Brehm, the co-executive director of the New York State Board of Elections, wrote in a court filing.
But Torres noted that the state was encouraging voters to vote by mail and doubted that cancelling the presidential primary entirely would significantly stop the spread of Covid-19. (A spokesman for the New York State Board of Elections declined to comment on the ruling, saying lawyers were reviewing it.)
Before Tuesday’s decision, Sanders supporters said the cancellation amounted to a stunning episode of voter suppression from Democrats at a time when the party is making expanding voting rights a core part of its platform. “It’s an insult to us,” said Habiba Choudhary, who had been canvassing for the senator.
But New York has long placed severe restrictions on voting, despite its reputation as one of the most progressive states in the US. The state had one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the 2016 election.
Biden is unlikely to lose New York and its 29 electoral college votes in November. But not giving Sanders supporters the chance to cast even a symbolic vote for him would have left his supporters unmotivated to commit to organizing for Biden, said Melanie D’Arrigo, who is running in a Democratic congressional primary in June.
“Will those voters knock doors, will those voters make calls, will those voters advocate on behalf of Joe Biden? I don’t know,” she said.
Some voters, such as Key, had also considered not voting in the general election at all.
It’s possible the back and forth of the election commission could still cause confusion. The cancellation would have meant that 35 of New York’s 62 counties will have a reduction in the number of voters who have primaries, and seven counties wouldn’t have had a primary at all. Campaigns have been relying on text messaging and email campaigns to keep people informed.
“It’s uncanny how many people think the next election is in November now,” said Jabari Brisport, a Democrat who is running in a primary for a state senate seat in Brooklyn.
There’s more at stake than the presidential primary in New York. New York has become home to a wave of progressive politicians, most notable Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Brisport said botching the primary would make it harder to replicate that success.
“A lot of progressive challengers like myself see this a direct attempt to protect incumbents,” he said of the previously cancelled presidential primary.
With just a few months until the Democratic conventions, Rachel Himes, an organizer with the Democratic Socialists of America who canvassed for Sanders, said New York voters deserve to have their voices heard.
“The principle of democracy is such that even when it seems like the election is a foregone conclusion, everyone should be able to vote,” said Himes. “People don’t have investment in the process, and why would they?”


theguardian--2020-05-06--George W Bush paved the way for Trump – to rehabilitate him is appalling | Arwa Mahdawi

It is 2040 .
Coronavirus is a distant memory .
Boris Johnson has fathered his 19th child .
Toy Story 12 and Fast & Furious 32 are playing in cinemas .
Donald Trump is a cuddly nonagenarian who is cooed over by liberals .
“ Remember the good old days when Donny joked about injecting bleach ?
” people will reminisce fondly .
“ What a legend !
” Does that last prediction sound improbable ?
It shouldn ’ t : just look at the ongoing rehabilitation of George W Bush .
It is only 11 years since Bush left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regressive record appears to have set in .
People have already giggled over his adorable struggle to put on a poncho during Trump ’ s inauguration and praised his unlikely friendship with Ellen DeGeneres .
Now many liberals are fawning over Bush for the incredible achievement of being an iota more sane than Trump .
On Saturday , Bush put out a video calling for compassion and national unity during the coronavirus crisis .
In it , he declared : “ We are not partisan combatants ; we are human beings.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is .
It is just a shame he wasn ’ t so invested in our shared humanity when he used the fabricated threat of weapons of mass destruction to bomb Iraq into oblivion .
It is a pity he didn ’ t think about “ how small our differences are ” when he fought LGBTQ+ rights .
It is unfortunate he wasn ’ t so concerned about compassion during his botched and heartless response to Hurricane Katrina .
If there were an Oscar for best use of cinematography to whitewash a bloody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
His three-minute message – which was part of The Call to Unite , a project featuring videos from celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts – has been viewed more than 6m times and generated widespread praise .
With Trump in office , suddenly Bush doesn ’ t seem so bad to many observers .
At least Bush could reach across the political aisle now and again .
“ Bush handled post-Katrina by asking his father and Bill Clinton to help , ” tweeted Maggie Haberman , the New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The current president has been uninterested in asking his predecessors to get involved as the country deals with Covid.
” We don ’ t have to do this .
We don ’ t have to normalise Bush or rewrite his record just because Trump is unleashing his own campaign of shock and awfulness .
We don ’ t have to minimise the enormous damage Bush did just because he didn ’ t tweet misspelled abuse at his political enemies .
We don ’ t have to do any of this – but a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
This is partly because the US has a deep-seated reverence for its heads of state , as illustrated by the fact they retain the honorific of president after they have left office .
Perhaps because Britain is a monarchy with a longer history than the US , we don ’ t see our head of government as a national mother or father figure in quite the same way .
However , the bigger motivation behind the apparent desire to rehabilitate Bush is probably a desperation among liberals to see Trump as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ real ” US .
But Trump is not an aberration .
He didn ’ t emerge from a vacuum .
The lies , jingoism and anti-intellectualism of the Bush era helped pave the way for him – and the steady rehabilitation of Bush is paving the way for Trump to evade accountability in the future .
You don ’ t move forward by forgetting and forgiving the past ; you move forward by learning from it .
It seems we haven ’ t learned anything .
Nevertheless , my greatest respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people for their incredible work transforming him into a national treasure .
Mission accomplished .

It is 2040. Coronavirus is a distant memory. Boris Johnson has fathered his 19th child. Toy Story 12 and Fast & Furious 32 are playing in cinemas. Donald Trump is a cuddly nonagenarian who is cooed over by liberals. “Remember the good old days when Donny joked about injecting bleach?” people will reminisce fondly. “What a legend!”
Does that last prediction sound improbable? It shouldn’t: just look at the ongoing rehabilitation of George W Bush. It is only 11 years since Bush left office, but widespread amnesia regarding his regressive record appears to have set in. People have already giggled over his adorable struggle to put on a poncho during Trump’s inauguration and praised his unlikely friendship with Ellen DeGeneres. Now many liberals are fawning over Bush for the incredible achievement of being an iota more sane than Trump.
On Saturday, Bush put out a video calling for compassion and national unity during the coronavirus crisis. In it, he declared: “We are not partisan combatants; we are human beings.” This is a lovely message; really, it is. It is just a shame he wasn’t so invested in our shared humanity when he used the fabricated threat of weapons of mass destruction to bomb Iraq into oblivion. It is a pity he didn’t think about “how small our differences are” when he fought LGBTQ+ rights. It is unfortunate he wasn’t so concerned about compassion during his botched and heartless response to Hurricane Katrina.
If there were an Oscar for best use of cinematography to whitewash a bloody legacy, then Dubya has certainly earned it. His three-minute message – which was part of The Call to Unite, a project featuring videos from celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts – has been viewed more than 6m times and generated widespread praise. With Trump in office, suddenly Bush doesn’t seem so bad to many observers. At least Bush could reach across the political aisle now and again. “Bush handled post-Katrina by asking his father and Bill Clinton to help,” tweeted Maggie Haberman, the New York Times’ White House correspondent. “The current president has been uninterested in asking his predecessors to get involved as the country deals with Covid.”
We don’t have to do this. We don’t have to normalise Bush or rewrite his record just because Trump is unleashing his own campaign of shock and awfulness. We don’t have to minimise the enormous damage Bush did just because he didn’t tweet misspelled abuse at his political enemies. We don’t have to do any of this – but a lot of Americans seem desperately to want to. This is partly because the US has a deep-seated reverence for its heads of state, as illustrated by the fact they retain the honorific of president after they have left office. Perhaps because Britain is a monarchy with a longer history than the US, we don’t see our head of government as a national mother or father figure in quite the same way.
However, the bigger motivation behind the apparent desire to rehabilitate Bush is probably a desperation among liberals to see Trump as an anomaly who doesn’t reflect the “real” US. But Trump is not an aberration. He didn’t emerge from a vacuum. The lies, jingoism and anti-intellectualism of the Bush era helped pave the way for him – and the steady rehabilitation of Bush is paving the way for Trump to evade accountability in the future.
You don’t move forward by forgetting and forgiving the past; you move forward by learning from it. It seems we haven’t learned anything. Nevertheless, my greatest respect goes out to Bush’s PR people for their incredible work transforming him into a national treasure. Mission accomplished.


theguardian--2020-05-06--Trump tours battleground state Arizona while flagging wind down of coronavirus task force – video

US president Donald Trump said the White House coronavirus task force would wind down as the country moves into a @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak .
'Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job @ @ @ @ @ a visit to a mask factory in Arizona , a key state in the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ 're now looking at a little bit of a different form and that form is @ @ @ @ @ 'll have a different group probably set up for that . '
Asked if he @ @ @ @ @ in the fight against coronavirus , Trump said , 'No , not at all .
@ @ @ @ @ it 's over' • Trump heads to Arizona mask plant to make case for reopening @ @ @ @ @ wind down Covid-19 taskforce as US death toll tops 70,000 • Why is the White @ @ @ @ @ taskforce ?

US president Donald Trump said the White House coronavirus task force would wind down as the country moves into a second phase of dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. 'Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job,' Trump said during a visit to a mask factory in Arizona, a key state in the upcoming presidential election. 'But we're now looking at a little bit of a different form and that form is safety and opening and we'll have a different group probably set up for that.' Asked if he was proclaiming 'mission accomplished' in the fight against coronavirus, Trump said, 'No, not at all. The mission accomplished is when it's over'


theguardian--2020-05-07--Coronavirus US live: press secretary defends Trump over blocking Fauci's testimony – as it happened

Kayleigh McEnany , the White House press secretary , has defended Donald Trump ’ s description of US citizens as “ warriors ” of the coronavirus pandemic .
When the president used the term on Tuesday , MSNBC host Chris Hayes objected : “ I personally don ’ t think of the folks in say nursing homes as warriors that need to be sacrificed .
But what the president seems to be saying is , you ’ re on your own , thoughts and prayers .
Sorry if you were one of those people badly affected .
Think of yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” At her second White House briefing on Wednesday , McEnany denied that Trump was asking Americans to put themselves in harm ’ s way .
“ Not in the slightest , ” she said .
“ It ’ s actually the opposite .
The president ’ s been clear that , at this moment , we ’ re at a wartime moment where we ’ re fighting the invisible enemy and by that I mean Covid-19 .
“ On the contrary , the notion that the American people are warriors , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed home , they ’ re warriors because they ’ ve social distanced , they ’ re warriors because this mitigation effort is something that could only be done by the American people coming together and making really hard sacrifices.
” This got the US to the point of having one of the lowest mortality rates in the world and of reopening its economy , McEnany added .
But public health experts have warned that easing the lockdown restrictions too soon could result in a sharp increase in infections and deaths .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to block infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci from testifying at a House of Representatives committee , accusing Democrats of failing to act in good faith .
“ We don ’ t have time in the middle of a pandemic for publicity stunts , ” she said .
The press secretary described America ’ s relationship with China as “ one of disappointment and frustration ” , accusing Beijing not sharing the genetic sequence of the virus when it could and refusing access to US investigators , putting American lives at risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ praised Trump ’ s response to the pandemic , McEnany reeled off a list of state governors instead .
From my vantage point in the briefing room , it struck me as another assured but truth-bending performance from the new press secretary , avoiding controversies that risk stealing the limelight from her boss .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now), Joan E Greve in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York (earlier)

6 May 2020 00.51 BST Summary Trump has reportedly suggested the US coronavirus death count is an exaggeration, even though experts have said the official tally is likely an undercount, considering some people died of the virus without being tested. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied the report at her briefing moments ago.
even though experts have said the official tally is likely an undercount, considering some people died of the virus without being tested. White House press secretary denied the report at her briefing moments ago. McEnany defended Trump’s decision to block Dr Anthony Fauci from testifying before the House. The press secretary described the request from the Democratic-controlled House as a “publicity stunt,” even though Fauci will testify before the Senate next week.
The press secretary described the request from the Democratic-controlled House as a “publicity stunt,” even though Fauci will testify before the Senate next week. Trump said the White House coronavirus task force would “continue on indefinitely,” a reversal from his comments yesterday suggesting the group’s work would be winding down. The president said today he “had no idea how popular the task force is.”
a reversal from his comments yesterday suggesting the group’s work would be winding down. The president said today he “had no idea how popular the task force is.” Trump vetoed a bipartisan resolution limiting his ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval. “This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party,” the president said. It’s unlikely that either legislative branch will have the two-thirds majority to override Trump’s veto.
“This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party,” the president said. It’s unlikely that either legislative branch will have the two-thirds majority to override Trump’s veto. Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump for pushing to reopen the country, as health experts warn relaxing social distancing restrictions too soon could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. “Death is not an economic motivator, stimulus, so why are we going down that path?” Pelosi said.
as health experts warn relaxing social distancing restrictions too soon could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. “Death is not an economic motivator, stimulus, so why are we going down that path?” Pelosi said. The Supreme Court declined to block Pennsylvania’s shutdown order. The justices, echoing an earlier decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, affirmed Democratic governor Tom Wolf’s right to shut down most non-essential businesses to limit the spread of the virus.
The justices, echoing an earlier decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, affirmed Democratic governor Tom Wolf’s right to shut down most non-essential businesses to limit the spread of the virus. Trump said Dr Rick Bright is a “disgruntled guy.” Bright has said he was removed from his role overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine after he refused to promote hydroxychloroquine as a potential coronavirus treatment.
6 May 2020 00.45 BST A migrant detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in California has died from Covid-19, according to the ACLU. “This is a terrible tragedy, and it was entirely predictable and preventable. For months, public health experts and corrections officials have warned that detention centers would be Petri dishes for the spread of Covid-19 — and a death trap for thousands of people in civil detention,” said Andrea Flores, the ACLU deputy director of immigration policy. “Unless ICE acts quickly to release far more people from detention, they will keep getting sick and many more will die,” she added. Coronavirus inevitable in prison-like US immigration centers, doctors say Read more
Updated at 01.01 BST
6 May 2020 00.28 BST Joe Biden just singled out and praised Amy Klobuchar during a virtual campaign event. Klobuchar is leading “efforts in the United States Senate to provide for the money and the means by which we can have early voting,” Biden said, complementing the Minnesota senator for her work on the issue. Klobuchar looks like a top candidate for Biden’s running mate pick. Here’s an overview of who else could be under consideration: 05:15 Who will be Joe Biden's running mate? – video
Updated at 00.30 BST
6 May 2020 00.14 BST Kari Paul A crowd-sourced tracking tool launched on Wednesday will allow Amazon workers to report and monitor the growing number of coronavirus cases in their facilities, as the company refuses to publicly release comprehensive figures. United for Respect, a worker advocacy group, has released the new system, which will rely on reports from employees to keep a more accurate count of how many workers have been diagnosed with Covid-19. The tool comes as Amazon confirmed the death of a worker in one of its New York warehouses from coronavirus this week and employees demand paid sick leave and protest lack of protection. The company still refuses to share publicly – or with its employees – the total number of sick workers at each facility. Workers say Amazon sends them an alert when someone in their workplace is diagnosed with coronavirus, but does not include the total numbers. Not knowing the scale of the pandemic has contributed to growing anxiety in the workplace where employees have become frontline workers, said Courtenay Brown, an Amazon warehouse worker in New Jersey and member of United for Respect said.
Tracking tool allows Amazon workers to report Covid-19 cases Read more
6 May 2020 23.44 BST Oliver Milman Donald Trump has all but abandoned a public health strategy of societal restrictions to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and opted instead to push for a restart of the US economy. Experts have warned that the move is premature and risks handing a “death sentence” to many Americans. The US president has praised governors of states that have started to loosen restrictions on social distancing and business activity, even though he has admitted that people will suffer as a result. “Will some people be affected badly? Yes,” Trump said on Tuesday. “But we have to get our country open, and we have to get it open soon.” Public health experts have pointed out that Covid-19 infections and deaths are mounting dangerously in much of the US. New York has drawn attention as a global hotspot for the virus but has now flattened its rate of infections whereas large parts of the country are still to reach their own peak. When New York is discounted, the US is still on an upward trajectory of new infections. Trump's push to reopen US risks ‘death sentence’ for many, experts warn Read more
6 May 2020 23.34 BST Julian Borger In response to Donald Trump’s veto of a joint resolution aimed at limiting the president’s authority to go to war with Iran, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, the author of the bill, went on Twitter to contrast what the president has said about great nations not fighting “endless wars” with his veto of legislation intended “to help avoid unnecessary war in the Middle East”. Trump last year: “Great nations do not fight endless wars.”
Trump today: Vetoed bipartisan legislation to help avoid unnecessary war in the Middle East.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to override his veto—Congress must vote before sending our troops into harm’s way. — Tim Kaine (@timkaine) May 6, 2020 Kaine urged Congress to override the veto, but it is highly unlikely that a two-thirds majority would oppose the president. The resolution, passed on 11 March, was passed after the January US drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, and a reprisal Iranian missile strike against a base in Iraq which left more than 100 US soldiers with traumatic brain injury. It invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973 to demand that the president seek authorization from Congress before further hostilities. In vetoing the resolution, Trump said he had authority to carry out the attack on Suleimani by the 2002 Authorization of the Use of Military Force against Iraq passed by Congress in the run-up to the Iraq invasion. Trump’s critics in congress say there is nothing in that authorization to give Trump the right to carry out attacks on Iran. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, initially claimed that Suleimani posed an “imminent threat” to four US embassies in the region, but the administration quietly dropped that argument in a formal justification of the attack to Congress in February. The White House said killing the general was justified as a response to earlier attacks and as a deterrent against future aggression.
Updated at 23.59 BST
6 May 2020 23.24 BST Donald Trump has vetoed a congressional war powers resolution The bipartisan resolution would rein in his ability to take direct military action against Iran without congressional authorization. “This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party. The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands,” the president said. It’s unlikely that either legislative branch will have the two-thirds majority to override Trump’s veto.
Updated at 23.26 BST
6 May 2020 23.00 BST David Smith Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, speaks during a briefing at the White House. Photograph: Sarah Silbiger/EPA Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, has defended Donald Trump’s description of US citizens as “warriors” of the coronavirus pandemic. When the president used the term on Tuesday, MSNBC host Chris Hayes objected: “I personally don’t think of the folks in say nursing homes as warriors that need to be sacrificed. But what the president seems to be saying is, you’re on your own, thoughts and prayers. Sorry if you were one of those people badly affected. Think of yourself as a soldier dying for the cause.” At her second White House briefing on Wednesday, McEnany denied that Trump was asking Americans to put themselves in harm’s way. “Not in the slightest,” she said. “It’s actually the opposite. The president’s been clear that, at this moment, we’re at a wartime moment where we’re fighting the invisible enemy and by that I mean Covid-19. “On the contrary, the notion that the American people are warriors, they’re warriors because they’ve stayed home, they’re warriors because they’ve social distanced, they’re warriors because this mitigation effort is something that could only be done by the American people coming together and making really hard sacrifices.” This got the US to the point of having one of the lowest mortality rates in the world and of reopening its economy, McEnany added. But public health experts have warned that easing the lockdown restrictions too soon could result in a sharp increase in infections and deaths. She also defended the White House’s decision to block infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci from testifying at a House of Representatives committee, accusing Democrats of failing to act in good faith. “We don’t have time in the middle of a pandemic for publicity stunts,” she said. The press secretary described America’s relationship with China as “one of disappointment and frustration”, accusing Beijing not sharing the genetic sequence of the virus when it could and refusing access to US investigators, putting American lives at risk. Asked to name world leaders who have praised Trump’s response to the pandemic, McEnany reeled off a list of state governors instead. From my vantage point in the briefing room, it struck me as another assured but truth-bending performance from the new press secretary, avoiding controversies that risk stealing the limelight from her boss.
6 May 2020 22.50 BST Donald Trump’s push to paint the southern border wall black is projected to add at least $500m in costs, according to contracting estimates obtained by the Washington Post. Trump has long advocated for coat the steel bars of the border wall black, despite military commanders and border officials’ warnings that the design change would cost too much both in the short and long term due to maintainence costs. The Post reports: During a border wall meeting at the White House last month amid the coronavirus pandemic, the president told senior adviser Jared Kushner and aides to move forward with the paint job and to seek out cost estimates, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the meeting,” the Post reports. “POTUS has changed his mind and now wants the fence painted. We are modifying contracts to add,” said one official involved in the construction effort who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being fired. Trump, during that meeting, directed aides to seek input from North Dakota-based Fisher Sand and Gravel, a company the president favors. Fisher has a $400 million contract to build a section of new barrier in Arizona, an award that is under review by the Department of Defense inspector general. The Post obtained a copy of painting estimates that federal contracting officials produced, and it shows costs ranging from $500 million for two coats of acrylic paint to more than $3 billion for a premium “powder coating” on the structure’s 30-foot steel bollards, the high end of the options the officials have identified. A U.S. Border Patrol agent sits near the Calexico Port of Entry, where the section of the border fence that is painted black is to the right and the unpainted border fence is to the left. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post) The White House has not yet chosen a grade of paint, but Trump has insisted for years that the barrier should be black to discourage climbers. He has favored a shade known as “flat black” or “matte black” because of its heat-absorbent properties.
6 May 2020 22.39 BST Hi, there — it’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the West Coast. Even as Donald Trump pivots to a focus on reopening the economy, state governors are the ones who hold much of the power to do so. A new Quinnipiac poll in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut found that voters are on board with a slow, cautious approach. New York’s Andrew Cuomo had a 72 - 24 percent job approval rating, and an 81 - 17 percent approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
had a 72 - 24 percent job approval rating, and an 81 - 17 percent approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. New Jersey’s Phil Murphy had a 68 - 23 percent job approval rating, and a 78 - 18 percent approval rating for his handling of the crisis.
had a 68 - 23 percent job approval rating, and a 78 - 18 percent approval rating for his handling of the crisis. Connecticut’s Ned Lamont had a 65 - 26 percent job approval rating, and a 78 - 17 percent approval rating for his handling of the crisis. In each state, Trump’s approval rating lagged at about 36% overall and for his crisis response. The majority of those polled in all three states said it would be safe to lift the stay-at-home orders and reopen businesses in the next few months or even later, rather than immediately. US governors and coronavirus: who has responded best and worst? Read more
Updated at 23.11 BST
6 May 2020 22.24 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Trump has reportedly suggested the US coronavirus death count is an exaggeration, even though experts have said the official tally is likely an undercount, considering some people died of the virus without being tested. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied the report at her briefing moments ago.
even though experts have said the official tally is likely an undercount, considering some people died of the virus without being tested. White House press secretary denied the report at her briefing moments ago. McEnany defended Trump’s decision to block Dr Anthony Fauci from testifying before the House. The press secretary described the request from the Democratic-controlled House as a “publicity stunt,” even though Fauci will testify before the Senate next week.
The press secretary described the request from the Democratic-controlled House as a “publicity stunt,” even though Fauci will testify before the Senate next week. Trump said the White House coronavirus task force would “continue on indefinitely,” a reversal from his comments yesterday suggesting the group’s work would be winding down. The president said today he “had no idea how popular the task force is.”
a reversal from his comments yesterday suggesting the group’s work would be winding down. The president said today he “had no idea how popular the task force is.” Nancy Pelosi criticized Trump for pushing to reopen the country, as health experts warn relaxing social distancing restrictions too soon could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. “Death is not an economic motivator, stimulus, so why are we going down that path?” Pelosi said.
as health experts warn relaxing social distancing restrictions too soon could cause a surge in coronavirus cases. “Death is not an economic motivator, stimulus, so why are we going down that path?” Pelosi said. The Supreme Court declined to block Pennsylvania’s shutdown order. The justices, echoing an earlier decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, affirmed Democratic governor Tom Wolf ’s right to shut down most non-essential businesses to limit the spread of the virus.
The justices, echoing an earlier decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, affirmed Democratic governor ’s right to shut down most non-essential businesses to limit the spread of the virus. Trump said Dr Rick Bright is a “disgruntled guy.” Bright has said he was removed from his role overseeing the development of a coronavirus vaccine after he refused to promote hydroxychloroquine as a potential coronavirus treatment.
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
6 May 2020 22.24 BST McEnany defends decision to block Fauci from testifying before House White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has defended Donald Trump’s decision to block Dr Anthony Fauci from testifying before the Democrat-led House. The president said he made the move to prevent officials taking questions from “a bunch of Trump haters.” In the briefing McEnany accused the House of attempting to orchestrate a “publicity stunt” and said Fauci would instead testify before “the Republican-controlled Senate” where he will also “indeed be asked questions by Democrats.” Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a key member of the government’s coronavirus task force. He is expected to testify on 12 May. McEnany on blocking Fauci from testifying to House: "We don't have time in the middle of a pandemic for publicity stunts." — David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) May 6, 2020
6 May 2020 22.06 BST White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked about her comment from February that, “We will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here. And isn’t it refreshing when contrasting it with the awful presidency of President Obama?” Asked whether she would like to retract that comment in light of the current pandemic, McEnany tried to turn it back around on the press, citing some headlines from news outlets that she said downplayed the pandemic. After rattling off a list of headlines, McEnany left the briefing room without taking any more questions. 'We won't see coronavirus here' ... and other gems from Trump's new press secretary Read more
6 May 2020 21.58 BST Responding to a question from the Guardian’s David Smith, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied that the president believes the coronavirus death toll has been exaggerated. Axios reported earlier today that Trump and some of his advisers have suggested the official tally is an overcount, despite the fact that experts have said there have likely been even more coronavirus deaths because some victims were not tested before dying.
6 May 2020 21.52 BST McEnany holds White House briefing White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany is holding a briefing, her second formal briefing since taking on the role. Taking questions from reporters, the press secretary said the White House coronavirus task force was “here to stay,” but she dodged questions about which official first suggested winding down the group’s work. McEnany also argued that the country needed to be “strategic with our testing,” specifically saying testing should be expanded in vulnerable communities like nursing homes and meat-packing plants. But she added, “The notion that everybody needs to be tested is simply nonsensical.” Public health experts have said testing needs to be dramatically ramped up to safely reopen the country.
Updated at 21.55 BST


theguardian--2020-05-06--Trump's pick for federal court under fire for calling Obamacare ruling 'indefensible'

A federal judge nominated to the nation ’ s second-most powerful court said on Wednesday that he was writing as an academic and commentator when he criticized as “ indefensible ” a supreme court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act .
Justin Walker , a 37-year-old protege of the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , and the supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , said he would have an open mind on the Obama-era health care law if it came before him as a district or appeals court judge .
At a hearing on his nomination by Donald Trump to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeals for the District of Columbia circuit , Walker declined a request by Senate Democrats to recuse himself on matters related to the healthcare law if he is confirmed .
Walker said he was “ an academic and a citizen engaged in the public sphere ” when he wrote a 2018 article calling Chief Justice John Roberts ’ opinion upholding the healthcare law , known as Obamacare , “ indefensible ” and “ catastrophic ” .
Walker said he would be bound by the ruling as precedent and would consider any challenge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say Walker ’ s confirmation could threaten the health of millions of Americans protected by the law , which the Trump administration is challenging in court .
“ After 162 TV appearances and all you ’ ve written [ on the healthcare law ] , it ’ s painful to hear you say you have an open mind , ” Senator Dick Durbin told Walker .
He and other Democrats complained that McConnell , the Kentucky Republican who leads the Senate , had called the chamber back into session to consider Walker ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington amid the coronavirus crisis .
The seat Walker would take will not be vacant until September .
“ It ’ s indefensible that we ’ re here to confirm someone who would dismantle the healthcare law that is saving millions of lives , ” said Senator Richard Blumenthal , a Democrat from Connecticut .
Blumenthal and Durbin were among the few Democrats who attended the hearing in person .
Most were connected to the meeting through a video link .
Walker also was asked about comments he made during a speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a judge , in which he lavished praise on Kavanaugh , who was confirmed to the supreme court in 2018 after a bitter partisan fight over allegations of sexual assault and other claims .
Walker clerked for Kavanaugh when he was on the appeals court to which Walker is nominated .
Walker compared Kavanaugh to St Paul , “ persecuted but not abandoned ” , and said : “ In Kavanaugh ’ s America , we will not surrender while you wage war on our work , or our cause , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The speech , in Louisville , Kentucky , was attended by McConnell , Kavanaugh and other conservative luminaries .
Walker said he had been describing the kind of judge Kavanaugh was , adding that he would defend Kavanaugh and the former supreme court justice Anthony Kennedy , another mentor , “ until the cows come home ” .
In his speech , Walker referred to his values as ones progressives might call “ deplorable ” , a reference to Hillary Clinton ’ s criticism of Trump ’ s supporters .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Walker said .
Walker drew a “ Not Qualified ” rating from the American Bar Association when Trump nominated him last year to be a federal judge in Kentucky .
The group changed its rating this week , calling him “ Well Qualified ” to serve on the appeals court .
A letter from the group cited Walker ’ s experience as a clerk to Kavanaugh and Kennedy and his six months as a federal trial judge .
Walker , a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He previously was a lawyer in Louisville and Washington .
McConnell said Wednesday that his protege and family friend “ possesses a generational legal mind , a kind heart and total judicial impartiality ” .
Liberal groups were incensed at Walker ‘ s nomination for a quick promotion to the nation ’ s second-highest court .
More than 200 groups , including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , the NAACP and the National Council on Jewish Women oppose Walker ’ s nomination , citing his record against expanding access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consumers and the workplace .
The Senate Democratic leader , Chuck Schumer , said Walker “ has more experience as a cable news commentator than he does trying cases in court ” .
Walker ’ s qualifications “ pale in comparison to those of previous nominees to the DC circuit ” by presidents of both parties , Schumer said .
“ Nominees by Democratic presidents and Republican presidents all were deeply steeped in the law , just about every one .
What Leader McConnell is doing to the courts is nothing short @ @ @ @

A federal judge nominated to the nation’s second-most powerful court said on Wednesday that he was writing as an academic and commentator when he criticized as “indefensible” a supreme court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act.
Justin Walker, a 37-year-old protege of the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, and the supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, said he would have an open mind on the Obama-era health care law if it came before him as a district or appeals court judge.
At a hearing on his nomination by Donald Trump to a seat on the US court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit, Walker declined a request by Senate Democrats to recuse himself on matters related to the healthcare law if he is confirmed.
Walker said he was “an academic and a citizen engaged in the public sphere” when he wrote a 2018 article calling Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion upholding the healthcare law, known as Obamacare, “indefensible” and “catastrophic”. Walker said he would be bound by the ruling as precedent and would consider any challenge to it with an open mind.
Democrats say Walker’s confirmation could threaten the health of millions of Americans protected by the law, which the Trump administration is challenging in court.
“After 162 TV appearances and all you’ve written [on the healthcare law], it’s painful to hear you say you have an open mind,” Senator Dick Durbin told Walker.
He and other Democrats complained that McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who leads the Senate, had called the chamber back into session to consider Walker‘s nomination, despite a stay-at-home order in Washington amid the coronavirus crisis. The seat Walker would take will not be vacant until September.
“It’s indefensible that we’re here to confirm someone who would dismantle the healthcare law that is saving millions of lives,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut.
Blumenthal and Durbin were among the few Democrats who attended the hearing in person. Most were connected to the meeting through a video link.
Walker also was asked about comments he made during a speech in March, celebrating his recent confirmation as a judge, in which he lavished praise on Kavanaugh, who was confirmed to the supreme court in 2018 after a bitter partisan fight over allegations of sexual assault and other claims. Walker clerked for Kavanaugh when he was on the appeals court to which Walker is nominated.
Walker compared Kavanaugh to St Paul, “persecuted but not abandoned”, and said: “In Kavanaugh’s America, we will not surrender while you wage war on our work, or our cause, or our hope, or our dream.” The speech, in Louisville, Kentucky, was attended by McConnell, Kavanaugh and other conservative luminaries.
“What war is Justice Kavanaugh waging?” asked Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat.
Walker said he had been describing the kind of judge Kavanaugh was, adding that he would defend Kavanaugh and the former supreme court justice Anthony Kennedy, another mentor, “until the cows come home”.
In his speech, Walker referred to his values as ones progressives might call “deplorable”, a reference to Hillary Clinton’s criticism of Trump’s supporters.
“We are winning, but we have not won,” Walker said.
Walker drew a “Not Qualified” rating from the American Bar Association when Trump nominated him last year to be a federal judge in Kentucky. The group changed its rating this week, calling him “Well Qualified” to serve on the appeals court.
A letter from the group cited Walker’s experience as a clerk to Kavanaugh and Kennedy and his six months as a federal trial judge. Walker, a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School, was confirmed as a judge last year. He previously was a lawyer in Louisville and Washington.
McConnell said Wednesday that his protege and family friend “possesses a generational legal mind, a kind heart and total judicial impartiality”.
Schumer criticizes Walker’s experience
Liberal groups were incensed at Walker‘s nomination for a quick promotion to the nation’s second-highest court. More than 200 groups, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP and the National Council on Jewish Women oppose Walker’s nomination, citing his record against expanding access to healthcare and against safeguards for the environment, consumers and the workplace.
The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said Walker “has more experience as a cable news commentator than he does trying cases in court”.
Walker’s qualifications “pale in comparison to those of previous nominees to the DC circuit” by presidents of both parties, Schumer said. “Nominees by Democratic presidents and Republican presidents all were deeply steeped in the law, just about every one. What Leader McConnell is doing to the courts is nothing short of disgraceful.”


theguardian--2020-05-06--Trump's push to reopen US risks ‘death sentence’ for many, experts warn

Donald Trump has all but abandoned a public health strategy of societal restrictions to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and opted instead to push for a restart of the US economy , a move that experts have warned is premature and risks handing a “ death sentence ” to many Americans .
The US president has praised governors of states that have started to loosen restrictions on social distancing and business activity , even though he has admitted that people will suffer as a result .
“ Will some people be affected badly ?
Yes , ” Trump said on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our country open , and we have to get it open soon.
” Public health experts have pointed out that Covid-19 infections and deaths are mounting dangerously in much of the US .
New York has drawn attention as a global hotspot for the virus but has now flattened its rate of infections whereas large parts of the country are still to reach their own peak .
When New York is discounted , the US is still on an upward trajectory of new infections .
More half of the 50 states are forging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though none meet the White House ’ s own key criteria of a steady decline in new cases over a 14-day period .
The uneven progress of the virus means that places such as Minnesota , Nebraska and Puerto Rico are recording an alarming increase in cases , with other states in the midwest and southwest also rising , such as Texas and Arizona , even as New York , New Jersey and Massachusetts have started to force infection rates slowly downwards .
“ Typically pandemics occur in waves across different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we are getting out of the woods just yet , ” said Irwin Redlener , a physician and director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness .
“ A lot of places haven ’ t got the brunt of this yet .
The worst is to come , it ’ s inevitable .
The public health restrictions make a difference and when you lift them you will see consequences .
A premature opening will be a death sentence for people.
” The US has so far recorded more than 71,000 deaths as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of any country , with a leaked internal White House report projecting that deaths could climb to about 3,000 people a day by June .
Despite this , the Trump administration ’ s focus has shifted to restarting economic activity , a stance followed by several Republican-led states and cheered on by rightwing media , including Fox News .
Florida has reopened several beaches and Georgia has allowed certain restaurants , hairdressers and nail salons to open , despite neither state experiencing a consistent decline in Covid-19 cases .
While New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 due to its dense population , more sparsely populated areas of the US are starting to see a surge in infections , leading to fears that under-resourced rural hospitals may struggle to cope with residents who are often older and less healthy than those in urban centres .
The situation has proved a dilemma to governors who fret over economic collapse and a possible spate of suicides and mental health problems should lockdowns stretch indefinitely .
Trump ’ s own response to the pandemic has included him dismissing concern over it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would vanish by April and then , in a stunning press conference , pondering aloud the possible merits of injecting bleach into the lungs to treat the virus .
Doctors and bleach manufacturers have strongly urged people not to take this highly dangerous action .
From , at one point , calling himself a “ wartime president ” who would fight the virus , Trump has apparently withdrawn somewhat from the battlefield , conceding it is now “ possible ” that many more Americans will die as public health restrictions are relaxed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ further highlighted by reports , confirmed by the US vice-president , Mike Pence , that the White House was planning to winding down its coronavirus taskforce – only for Trump to say the following morning that the group will continue “ indefinitely ” , but with a focus on reopening the economy .
Anthony Fauci , the US government ’ s top infectious disease official on the taskforce , has admitted that the testing regime has been lacking and that the lockdown of public activity came too late .
The administration ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have consistently centered around testing .
The US failed to develop and distribute an effective Covid-19 test in the early days of the outbreak and is now falling well short of the half a million tests experts say is needed every day to safely allow people to tentatively resume the normal rhythms of life .
There is also no systematic process to trace infected people in the US to help curb surges in new cases .
“ It ’ s painful to understand how badly we ’ ve messed up the process of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Redlener .
“ We aren ’ t even close , less than 2 % of the population has been tested , we don ’ t even know the prevalence of the virus .
“ There ’ s been nothing like the misinformation and incompetence we ’ ve seen around Covid-19 in American history .
Colleagues of mine overseas are in disbelief .
I never thought I would long for the days of Richard Nixon , but here we are .
It ’ s frightening , ” he added .

Donald Trump has all but abandoned a public health strategy of societal restrictions to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and opted instead to push for a restart of the US economy, a move that experts have warned is premature and risks handing a “death sentence” to many Americans.
The US president has praised governors of states that have started to loosen restrictions on social distancing and business activity, even though he has admitted that people will suffer as a result. “Will some people be affected badly? Yes,” Trump said on Tuesday. “But we have to get our country open, and we have to get it open soon.”
Public health experts have pointed out that Covid-19 infections and deaths are mounting dangerously in much of the US.
New York has drawn attention as a global hotspot for the virus but has now flattened its rate of infections whereas large parts of the country are still to reach their own peak. When New York is discounted, the US is still on an upward trajectory of new infections.
More half of the 50 states are forging ahead with plans to reopen some businesses, even though none meet the White House’s own key criteria of a steady decline in new cases over a 14-day period. The uneven progress of the virus means that places such as Minnesota, Nebraska and Puerto Rico are recording an alarming increase in cases, with other states in the midwest and southwest also rising, such as Texas and Arizona, even as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have started to force infection rates slowly downwards.
“Typically pandemics occur in waves across different places, so people shouldn’t think we are getting out of the woods just yet,” said Irwin Redlener, a physician and director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness.
“A lot of places haven’t got the brunt of this yet. The worst is to come, it’s inevitable. The public health restrictions make a difference and when you lift them you will see consequences. A premature opening will be a death sentence for people.”
The US has so far recorded more than 71,000 deaths as a result of Covid-19, the largest total of any country, with a leaked internal White House report projecting that deaths could climb to about 3,000 people a day by June.
Despite this, the Trump administration’s focus has shifted to restarting economic activity, a stance followed by several Republican-led states and cheered on by rightwing media, including Fox News.
Florida has reopened several beaches and Georgia has allowed certain restaurants, hairdressers and nail salons to open, despite neither state experiencing a consistent decline in Covid-19 cases.
While New York City has proven vulnerable to the spread of Covid-19 due to its dense population, more sparsely populated areas of the US are starting to see a surge in infections, leading to fears that under-resourced rural hospitals may struggle to cope with residents who are often older and less healthy than those in urban centres.
The situation has proved a dilemma to governors who fret over economic collapse and a possible spate of suicides and mental health problems should lockdowns stretch indefinitely.
Trump’s own response to the pandemic has included him dismissing concern over it as a hoax, claiming erroneously it would vanish by April and then, in a stunning press conference, pondering aloud the possible merits of injecting bleach into the lungs to treat the virus.
Doctors and bleach manufacturers have strongly urged people not to take this highly dangerous action.
From, at one point, calling himself a “wartime president” who would fight the virus, Trump has apparently withdrawn somewhat from the battlefield, conceding it is now “possible” that many more Americans will die as public health restrictions are relaxed.
The chaotic response to the pandemic was further highlighted by reports, confirmed by the US vice-president, Mike Pence, that the White House was planning to winding down its coronavirus taskforce – only for Trump to say the following morning that the group will continue “indefinitely”, but with a focus on reopening the economy. Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious disease official on the taskforce, has admitted that the testing regime has been lacking and that the lockdown of public activity came too late.
The administration’s greatest missteps, according to critics, have consistently centered around testing. The US failed to develop and distribute an effective Covid-19 test in the early days of the outbreak and is now falling well short of the half a million tests experts say is needed every day to safely allow people to tentatively resume the normal rhythms of life. There is also no systematic process to trace infected people in the US to help curb surges in new cases.
“It’s painful to understand how badly we’ve messed up the process of developing rapid tests in large numbers,” said Redlener. “We aren’t even close, less than 2% of the population has been tested, we don’t even know the prevalence of the virus.
“There’s been nothing like the misinformation and incompetence we’ve seen around Covid-19 in American history. Colleagues of mine overseas are in disbelief. I never thought I would long for the days of Richard Nixon, but here we are. It’s frightening,” he added.


theguardian--2020-05-06--Trump reverses course and says White House coronavirus taskforce will stay

The White House appeared to be in fresh disarray on Wednesday as Donald Trump insisted that his coronavirus taskforce would remain in place – less than 24 hours after suggesting it would be disbanded .
The US president reversed course following a backlash against moves to wind down the taskforce even as the country reports about 30,000 new coronavirus cases a day and the death toll moves past 70,000 , the highest in the world .
But Trump did confirm a switch in focus to reviving America ’ s devastated economy , fuelling anxiety that he has made a cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of saving lives .
The 22-member White House coronavirus taskforce was created in late January , and Mike Pence was named as chairman .
It met frequently to address the pandemic and then explained its work in nightly press briefings , but these came to be dominated by Trump often attacking the media , veering off topic or uttering disinformation , and sometimes lasted more than two hours .
In a series of tweets on Wednesday , the president said that because of its success , “ the Task Force will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN .
We may add or subtract people to it , as appropriate .
The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics.
” The pledge sowed confusion after both Trump and Pence indicated on Tuesday that the taskforce , which has begun to meet less frequently and had not held a press briefing in more than a week , was to be dismantled .
Trump had told reporters : “ We ’ re now looking at a little bit of a different form , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And we ’ ll have a different group probably set up for that.
” He later added , according to a pooled report : “ I thought we could wind it down sooner .
But I had no idea how popular the taskforce is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding down .
It is appreciated by the public.
” And Pence had said : “ I think we ’ re having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the taskforce to complete its work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an agency-by-agency level.
” The surprise remarks drew comparisons with the premature “ Mission Accomplished ” banner that hung on an aircraft carrier where George W Bush addressed troops during the early stages of the Iraq war .
It raised fears that Trump , with an eye on November ’ s election , had all but abandoned health needs in favour of economic imperatives .
Touring a face mask factory in Arizona , where he defied guidelines by not wearing a mask himself and where the James Bond theme song Live and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president admitted : “ I ’ m not saying anything is perfect , and yes , will some people be affected ?
Yes .
Will some people be affected badly ?
Yes .
But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.
” A strong economy has long been Trump ’ s central argument for re-election , but stay-at-home orders during the pandemic have wreaked havoc and wiped out at least 30m jobs .
Trump regards recovery as politically vital as a series of opinion polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Undeterred by a coronavirus death toll already bigger than the US ’ s in the Vietnam war , Trump has urged supporters to “ liberate ” states from pandemic restrictions and cheered on state governors who order reopenings in defiance of his own phased federal guidelines .
Commentators suspect his strategy will be to claim credit for economic gains while shifting blame to governors for resurgences of the virus .
Infection rates continue to increase outside New York , the hardest-hit state .
On Monday , researchers at the University of Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evaluation almost doubled its previous US mortality model to more than 134,000 .
And a leaked internal White House report suggests that the daily US death toll will climb to 3,000 a day by June .
The administration has also restricted coronavirus taskforce members from testifying before Congress unless they have “ express approval ” .
The president said he stopped the infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci appearing before a House of Representatives committee because it is a “ set-up ” with a “ bunch of Trump-haters ” .
But Elaine Kamarck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme at the Brookings Institution thinktank in Washington , said any attempt to sideline Fauci and response coordinator Deborah Birx was doomed .
“ He might try to marginalise them but the press isn ’ t going to try to marginalise them .
“ They are the people with the data and with the expertise and nobody with data and expertise is going to be marginalised .
It ’ s going to be the politicians who don ’ t listen to the scientists who are going to get marginalised.
” The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week when the New York Times reported that Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser , Jared Kushner , turned to young and unqualified volunteers from consulting and private equity firms to help secure masks , gloves and other personal protective equipment for hospitals .

The White House appeared to be in fresh disarray on Wednesday as Donald Trump insisted that his coronavirus taskforce would remain in place – less than 24 hours after suggesting it would be disbanded.
The US president reversed course following a backlash against moves to wind down the taskforce even as the country reports about 30,000 new coronavirus cases a day and the death toll moves past 70,000, the highest in the world.
But Trump did confirm a switch in focus to reviving America’s devastated economy, fuelling anxiety that he has made a cold political calculation to put his re-election chances ahead of saving lives.
The 22-member White House coronavirus taskforce was created in late January, and Mike Pence was named as chairman. It met frequently to address the pandemic and then explained its work in nightly press briefings, but these came to be dominated by Trump often attacking the media, veering off topic or uttering disinformation, and sometimes lasted more than two hours.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the president said that because of its success, “the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics.”
The pledge sowed confusion after both Trump and Pence indicated on Tuesday that the taskforce, which has begun to meet less frequently and had not held a press briefing in more than a week, was to be dismantled.
Trump had told reporters: “We’re now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we’ll have a different group probably set up for that.”
He later added, according to a pooled report: “I thought we could wind it down sooner. But I had no idea how popular the taskforce is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding down. It is appreciated by the public.”
And Pence had said: “I think we’re having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the taskforce to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level.”
The surprise remarks drew comparisons with the premature “Mission Accomplished” banner that hung on an aircraft carrier where George W Bush addressed troops during the early stages of the Iraq war. It raised fears that Trump, with an eye on November’s election, had all but abandoned health needs in favour of economic imperatives.
Trump at the mask factory in Phoenix on Tuesday night. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Touring a face mask factory in Arizona, where he defied guidelines by not wearing a mask himself and where the James Bond theme song Live and Let Die played over loudspeakers, the president admitted: “I’m not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.”
A strong economy has long been Trump’s central argument for re-election, but stay-at-home orders during the pandemic have wreaked havoc and wiped out at least 30m jobs. Trump regards recovery as politically vital as a series of opinion polls show him trailing election opponent Joe Biden.
Undeterred by a coronavirus death toll already bigger than the US’s in the Vietnam war, Trump has urged supporters to “liberate” states from pandemic restrictions and cheered on state governors who order reopenings in defiance of his own phased federal guidelines. Commentators suspect his strategy will be to claim credit for economic gains while shifting blame to governors for resurgences of the virus.
Infection rates continue to increase outside New York, the hardest-hit state. On Monday, researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation almost doubled its previous US mortality model to more than 134,000. And a leaked internal White House report suggests that the daily US death toll will climb to 3,000 a day by June.
The administration has also restricted coronavirus taskforce members from testifying before Congress unless they have “express approval”. The president said he stopped the infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci appearing before a House of Representatives committee because it is a “set-up” with a “bunch of Trump-haters”.
But Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow in the governance studies programme at the Brookings Institution thinktank in Washington, said any attempt to sideline Fauci and response coordinator Deborah Birx was doomed. “He might try to marginalise them but the press isn’t going to try to marginalise them.
“They are the people with the data and with the expertise and nobody with data and expertise is going to be marginalised. It’s going to be the politicians who don’t listen to the scientists who are going to get marginalised.”
The White House suffered a further blow to its credibility this week when the New York Times reported that Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, turned to young and unqualified volunteers from consulting and private equity firms to help secure masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment for hospitals.