theguardian--2020-05-24--Family values: why Trump's children are key to his re-election campaign

It begins with dramatic music and slick graphics – skyscrapers , clouds , big screens , the roar of a helicopter and chants of “ Four more years !
” Then come clips of Donald Trump Jr mocking Barack Obama and Joe Biden , and hurling red “ Keep America Great ” caps into a crowd at a rally .
A fireball darts across the screen , trailing the word “ Triggered ” .
Then , with slicked-back hair , designer stubble and a green-checked shirt unlikely to win any fashion awards , the president ’ s son hosts his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 crisis brought to us by the wonderful communist Chinese government , who did nothing about it and lied to us , ” Don Jr says , “ we had the greatest economy … the greatest job numbers .
“ I ’ m saying , the guy that did that once is the guy that can do it again .
Not the 50-year Washington bureaucrat [ Biden ] who doesn ’ t remember where he is most of the time.
” Welcome to the virtual Trump campaign starring his three children , Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their partners , Kimberly Guilfoyle , Lara Trump and Jared Kushner .
The six are among the president ’ s most important surrogates and strategists , constantly pushing his cause , rallying his base , trashing his opponents and earning a reputation as a modern political mafia .
Some appear to relish the enterprise so much they are tipped to run for office themselves .
Or , critics suggest , such is their devotion to amplifying Trump ’ s message – even when it contains ugly smears and downright lies – that perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attention .
Last weekend Don Jr posted on Instagram a meme that falsely insinuated Biden is a paedophile , later insisting that he had merely been “ joking around ” , while Eric appeared to suggest Democrats created the virus to sabotage Trump ’ s campaign .
“ And guess what ?
” he said on Fox News .
“ After 3 November [ election day ] , coronavirus will magically all of a sudden go away and disappear and everybody will be able to reopen .
They ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” At such moments , the Trump offspring can seem Trumpier than the man himself .
Moe Vela , a senior adviser to Biden when he was vice-president , said : “ They are an extension of his divisive existence .
The apple did not fall far from the hateful tree .
They are hook , line and sinker a part of this fabricating , distortive , manipulative modus operandi .
“ The kids are completely aligned with this complete distortion and disregard for the truth , whether it ’ s a conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paedophile comment or the most ridiculous one , that this pandemic is a hoax .
“ Poor little Eric is clearly a low-IQ human being , but to say something like that when more than 90,000 families , sets of friends and co-parishioners have lost somebody that they loved , you have to be a horrible , despicable human being to even let that roll off your tongue , much less creep into your mind.
” Trump ’ s children have been ever present since he announced his wildly improbable run for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June 2015 .
A year later , Don Jr and Ivanka ’ s husband , Kushner , were present at a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Hillary Clinton .
It came to nought but raised questions about the methods of both men .
Don Jr , Eric and Ivanka , along with Trump ’ s youngest daughter , Tiffany , were thrust into the limelight when they gave speeches at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland , where their father was crowned as the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential debate , asked to name one positive thing about her opponent .
Clinton replied : “ Look , I respect his children .
His children are incredibly able and devoted , and I think that says a lot about Donald.
” The children clocked up thousands of air miles campaigning while , behind the scenes , Kushner helped shape a crucial digital strategy .
The family gathered with Trump on stage in New York when he stunned the world by winning .
Since then , their influence has only grown .
Ivanka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – are senior advisers at the White House , immune from the courtroom intrigue that has seen other officials purged at a record rate .
Ivanka remains her father ’ s favourite : he has made the false and absurd claim that she had “ created over 15m jobs ” .
Kushner ’ s almost comically sprawling portfolio has included criminal justice reform , a Middle East peace plan and , most recently , the coronavirus pandemic .
Don Jr and Eric stepped in to run the Trump Organization , the family business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny persistent allegations they are exploiting the presidency for profit .
Both have also come into their own as bomb-throwers on their father ’ s behalf .
Before the virus hit , Don Jr was a regular speaker at rallies for Trump or Republican allies .
A chip off the old block , he hits the same unsubtle notes as the president and hones and perfects his message : shorter , sharper , less digressive and potentially more deadly .
A favourite line is to reference Obama ’ s 2016 claim that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring back “ some of those jobs of the past ” .
Don Jr spins this as a claim about economic growth and declares : “ Well , abracadabra buddy .
There is a magic wand for that !
” The crowd invariably cheers .
In person and on Twitter , Don Jr has become expert in throwing red meat to the Trump base , in particular slamming Democrats and the media .
Sometimes it ’ s a bit too much even for his dad .
Don Jr told the Axios website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president : “ ‘ You ’ re getting a little too aggressive , you know.
’ And then I was like , ‘ I learned it by watching you.
’ ” Two years ago , Don Jr separated from his wife , Vanessa , and began dating Guilfoyle , a lawyer , Fox News host and , incongruously , the ex-wife of Gavin Newsom , then the liberal Democratic mayor of San Francisco , now the governor of California .
She joined the Trump campaign last year and has proved every bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is somewhat overshadowed by his brother but his wife , Lara , is now one of the most prominent figures in the campaign , regularly featuring in Women for Trump events and posting tweets such as : “ The media tells us women don ’ t support Trump !
WRONG !
” At a rally in Charlotte , North Carolina in early March , Eric and Lara delighted the crowd by inviting up to the podium a Trump supporter who had been camping outside the venue for four days .
“ I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman said , sobbing tears of joy .
It was political theatre that showed the family offers more than rage alone .
In the coronavirus pandemic , the children have hit the ground running in ways Trump and Biden have not .
Trump ’ s re-election team broadcasts live programming online seven nights a week .
This week it launched The Right View , including Guilfoyle and Lara Trump , as a riposte to the popular daytime show The View , which has an all-female panel .
Don Jr has also been highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with voters , attending pro-hunting events and recording calls and videos on behalf of candidates in the House and Senate .
On Thursday night ’ s episode of Triggered ( also the title of his first book ) , he interviewed the singer and guitarist Ted Nugent .
“ I ’ m an outdoorsman , shooter , hunter , and not just , ‘ I do one weekend a year to talk about it at a cocktail party for the next two years , ’ ” said Don Jr , who has frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a New York billionaire speaking on behalf of blue-collar Americans .
“ This is the way I choose to live my life when I ’ m not doing my day job.
” A moment later an advertising banner popped up : “ Get your Trump-Pence 2020 playing cards !
” Later , Nugent praised Trump Jr ’ s father for taking “ a crowbar ” to the political status quo : “ He ’ s on a mission from God .
This is divine intervention .
We needed a status quo crusher and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except Donald J Trump that could have pulled it off with such effectiveness , such absolutism and , shall I say , aplomb.
” Up popped another banner that said : “ Get your official I Heart Trump wine glasses !
” Democrats such as Vela , the former Biden adviser , find the Trump children and their partners as offensive as the president himself .
“ You ’ ve got to sell your soul if you ’ re gon na be a part of it , ” he said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the mafia of hate .
There is so much hate and hatred filled in their bones and in their hearts .
I ’ ve never seen anything like it in my life.
” But for the president , the children form a protective shield .
Joshua Kendall , author of First Dads : Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama , said : “ The family is really important to Trump because he can get from them what he can ’ t get from most of the people who sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loyalty .
So he ’ s definitely going to lean on them and I think we ’ re witnessing a family tragedy because the children are all competing for who can be the most protective of daddy .
“ It ’ s very disturbing , the extent to which they ’ re willing to go , and I guess the most chilling example was where Eric said that after the election we ’ ll find out that the whole Covid pandemic was cooked up by the Democrats .
That ’ s the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bend reality to stand up for their father .
It ’ s also the tragedy of the Republican party that a lot of politicians are in this same position where in order to stay aligned with Trump , they have to bend reality.
” Presidential candidates ’ children usually work behind the scenes , Kendall noted , pointing to the sons of Jimmy Carter in the 1970s and George W Bush in his father ’ s campaigns in 1988 and 1992 .
“ But what ’ s interesting about the Trump kids is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hatchet man , which is usually played by the vice-president , famously Spiro Agnew [ under Richard Nixon ] , and that ’ s not something we ’ ve seen before.
” The dynasty may yet continue .
Signs such as “ Don Jr 2024 ” and “ Ivanka 2032 ” have been spotted at Trump rallies .
A SurveyMonkey poll for Axios in January asked who Republicans would consider voting for in 2024 .
It was led by the vice-president , Mike Pence , but Don Jr was second , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Steele , former chairman of the Republican National Committee , said : “ There ’ s a lot of talk about that but I think the stark political reality that will hit them all , whether Donald Trump wins re-election or not , is that there are a whole lot of Republicans waiting in the wings for this administration ’ s transition to lame duck and they are not going to go quietly into that good night .
“ It will not be , ‘ Oh , you ’ re Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bow and get out of the way.
’ That ain ’ t happening .
”

It begins with dramatic music and slick graphics – skyscrapers, clouds, big screens, the roar of a helicopter and chants of “Four more years!” Then come clips of Donald Trump Jr mocking Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and hurling red “Keep America Great” caps into a crowd at a rally. A fireball darts across the screen, trailing the word “Triggered”.
Then, with slicked-back hair, designer stubble and a green-checked shirt unlikely to win any fashion awards, the president’s son hosts his own online show.
“Before the Covid-19 crisis brought to us by the wonderful communist Chinese government, who did nothing about it and lied to us,” Don Jr says, “we had the greatest economy … the greatest job numbers.
“I’m saying, the guy that did that once is the guy that can do it again. Not the 50-year Washington bureaucrat [Biden] who doesn’t remember where he is most of the time.”
Welcome to the virtual Trump campaign starring his three children, Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka, and their partners, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump and Jared Kushner. The six are among the president’s most important surrogates and strategists, constantly pushing his cause, rallying his base, trashing his opponents and earning a reputation as a modern political mafia.
Some appear to relish the enterprise so much they are tipped to run for office themselves. Or, critics suggest, such is their devotion to amplifying Trump’s message – even when it contains ugly smears and downright lies – that perhaps they are merely competing for their father’s attention.
Last weekend Don Jr posted on Instagram a meme that falsely insinuated Biden is a paedophile, later insisting that he had merely been “joking around”, while Eric appeared to suggest Democrats created the virus to sabotage Trump’s campaign.
“And guess what?” he said on Fox News. “After 3 November [election day], coronavirus will magically all of a sudden go away and disappear and everybody will be able to reopen. They’re trying to deprive him of his greatest asset.”
At such moments, the Trump offspring can seem Trumpier than the man himself.
Moe Vela, a senior adviser to Biden when he was vice-president, said: “They are an extension of his divisive existence. The apple did not fall far from the hateful tree. They are hook, line and sinker a part of this fabricating, distortive, manipulative modus operandi.
“The kids are completely aligned with this complete distortion and disregard for the truth, whether it’s a conspiracy theory with ‘Obamagate’ or this paedophile comment or the most ridiculous one, that this pandemic is a hoax.
“Poor little Eric is clearly a low-IQ human being, but to say something like that when more than 90,000 families, sets of friends and co-parishioners have lost somebody that they loved, you have to be a horrible, despicable human being to even let that roll off your tongue, much less creep into your mind.”
The kids are completely aligned with this complete distortion and disregard for the truth Moe Vela
Trump’s children have been ever present since he announced his wildly improbable run for the presidency at Trump Tower in New York in June 2015. A year later, Don Jr and Ivanka’s husband, Kushner, were present at a Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Hillary Clinton. It came to nought but raised questions about the methods of both men.
Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka, along with Trump’s youngest daughter, Tiffany, were thrust into the limelight when they gave speeches at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where their father was crowned as the party’s nominee. In the second presidential debate, asked to name one positive thing about her opponent. Clinton replied: “Look, I respect his children. His children are incredibly able and devoted, and I think that says a lot about Donald.”
The children clocked up thousands of air miles campaigning while, behind the scenes, Kushner helped shape a crucial digital strategy. The family gathered with Trump on stage in New York when he stunned the world by winning. Since then, their influence has only grown.
Donald Trump Jr speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland in February. Photograph: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Ivanka and Kushner – dubbed “Javanka” – are senior advisers at the White House, immune from the courtroom intrigue that has seen other officials purged at a record rate. Ivanka remains her father’s favourite: he has made the false and absurd claim that she had “created over 15m jobs”. Kushner’s almost comically sprawling portfolio has included criminal justice reform, a Middle East peace plan and, most recently, the coronavirus pandemic.
‘I learned it by watching you’
Don Jr and Eric stepped in to run the Trump Organization, the family business, where they have been forced to deny persistent allegations they are exploiting the presidency for profit. Both have also come into their own as bomb-throwers on their father’s behalf.
Before the virus hit, Don Jr was a regular speaker at rallies for Trump or Republican allies. A chip off the old block, he hits the same unsubtle notes as the president and hones and perfects his message: shorter, sharper, less digressive and potentially more deadly. A favourite line is to reference Obama’s 2016 claim that Trump would need a “magic wand” to bring back “some of those jobs of the past”. Don Jr spins this as a claim about economic growth and declares: “Well, abracadabra buddy. There is a magic wand for that!” The crowd invariably cheers.
In person and on Twitter, Don Jr has become expert in throwing red meat to the Trump base, in particular slamming Democrats and the media. Sometimes it’s a bit too much even for his dad. Don Jr told the Axios website in March about getting a call from the president: “‘You’re getting a little too aggressive, you know.’ And then I was like, ‘I learned it by watching you.’”
Two years ago, Don Jr separated from his wife, Vanessa, and began dating Guilfoyle, a lawyer, Fox News host and, incongruously, the ex-wife of Gavin Newsom, then the liberal Democratic mayor of San Francisco, now the governor of California. She joined the Trump campaign last year and has proved every bit as zealous as her boyfriend.
Eric is somewhat overshadowed by his brother but his wife, Lara, is now one of the most prominent figures in the campaign, regularly featuring in Women for Trump events and posting tweets such as: “The media tells us women don’t support Trump! WRONG!”
I think we’re witnessing a family tragedy because the children are competing for who can be the most protective of daddy Joshua Kendall
At a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina in early March, Eric and Lara delighted the crowd by inviting up to the podium a Trump supporter who had been camping outside the venue for four days. “I can’t believe this,” the woman said, sobbing tears of joy. It was political theatre that showed the family offers more than rage alone.
In the coronavirus pandemic, the children have hit the ground running in ways Trump and Biden have not. Trump’s re-election team broadcasts live programming online seven nights a week. This week it launched The Right View, including Guilfoyle and Lara Trump, as a riposte to the popular daytime show The View, which has an all-female panel.
Don Jr has also been highly active, holding virtual fundraisers and meetings with voters, attending pro-hunting events and recording calls and videos on behalf of candidates in the House and Senate. On Thursday night’s episode of Triggered (also the title of his first book), he interviewed the singer and guitarist Ted Nugent.
“I’m an outdoorsman, shooter, hunter, and not just, ‘I do one weekend a year to talk about it at a cocktail party for the next two years,’” said Don Jr, who has frequently admitted the irony of the son of a New York billionaire speaking on behalf of blue-collar Americans. “This is the way I choose to live my life when I’m not doing my day job.”
Ivanka Trump tours the distribution center of Coastal Sunbelt Produce in Laurel, Maryland, this month. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images
A moment later an advertising banner popped up: “Get your Trump-Pence 2020 playing cards!” Later, Nugent praised Trump Jr’s father for taking “a crowbar” to the political status quo: “He’s on a mission from God. This is divine intervention. We needed a status quo crusher and I can’t think of anybody except Donald J Trump that could have pulled it off with such effectiveness, such absolutism and, shall I say, aplomb.”
Up popped another banner that said: “Get your official I Heart Trump wine glasses!”
‘Extreme loyalty’
Democrats such as Vela, the former Biden adviser, find the Trump children and their partners as offensive as the president himself.
“You’ve got to sell your soul if you’re gonna be a part of it,” he said. “It’s almost like a mafioso operation, the mafia of hate. There is so much hate and hatred filled in their bones and in their hearts. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”
But for the president, the children form a protective shield.
Joshua Kendall, author of First Dads: Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama, said: “The family is really important to Trump because he can get from them what he can’t get from most of the people who sign up to work with him: extreme loyalty. So he’s definitely going to lean on them and I think we’re witnessing a family tragedy because the children are all competing for who can be the most protective of daddy.
“It’s very disturbing, the extent to which they’re willing to go, and I guess the most chilling example was where Eric said that after the election we’ll find out that the whole Covid pandemic was cooked up by the Democrats. That’s the extent to which they’re willing to bend reality to stand up for their father. It’s also the tragedy of the Republican party that a lot of politicians are in this same position where in order to stay aligned with Trump, they have to bend reality.”
I think stark political reality will hit them all, whether Donald Trump wins re-election or not Michael Steele
Presidential candidates’ children usually work behind the scenes, Kendall noted, pointing to the sons of Jimmy Carter in the 1970s and George W Bush in his father’s campaigns in 1988 and 1992.
“But what’s interesting about the Trump kids is they’re publicly playing the role of the hatchet man, which is usually played by the vice-president, famously Spiro Agnew [under Richard Nixon], and that’s not something we’ve seen before.”
The dynasty may yet continue. Signs such as “Don Jr 2024” and “Ivanka 2032” have been spotted at Trump rallies. A SurveyMonkey poll for Axios in January asked who Republicans would consider voting for in 2024. It was led by the vice-president, Mike Pence, but Don Jr was second, Nikki Haley third and Ivanka fourth.
Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said: “There’s a lot of talk about that but I think the stark political reality that will hit them all, whether Donald Trump wins re-election or not, is that there are a whole lot of Republicans waiting in the wings for this administration’s transition to lame duck and they are not going to go quietly into that good night.
“It will not be, ‘Oh, you’re Donald Trump’s son or daughter so we bow and get out of the way.’ That ain’t happening.”


theguardian--2020-05-24--Trumpocalypse review: David Frum bushwhacks a new axis of evil

The former George W Bush speechwriter thinks 21st-century conservatism has ‘ delivered much more harm than good ’ Nearly 100,000 Americans lie dead , almost 40 million people are out of work , home mortgage delinquencies are soaring and the Mall of America is stiffing its lenders .
The US looks like one of the president ’ s brand-name casinos .
When Donald Trump said “ One day , it ’ s like a miracle , it will disappear , ” he meant the coronavirus .
He could have been referring to the American Dream itself .
The Atlantic writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested by its ability to deliver security , prosperity , and justice ” .
By that metric , the Trump presidency is a shambolic failure .
In a book mostly written before the pandemic , Frum details the efforts of the 45th president to gut the rule of law and institutionalize “ white ethnic chauvinism ” , leaving the country reeling , the constitution bruised .
Trumpian alchemy has turned gold to lead .
Trumpocalypse recalls that in 2016 , Senator Ted Cruz compared Trump to Benito Mussolini , then “ went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most recently , the president has threatened Michigan and Nevada over absentee balloting and waged war on government inspectors general .
Sacking Rome was quicker than building it .
Frum ’ s journey is emblematic of our ongoing political realignment .
The Republican party ’ s embrace of rural and white working-class voters has been met with an exodus of college graduates and suburbanites .
Reliably red Arizona is tilting toward Joe Biden because of defections among seniors and four-year degree holders .
Anti-closure protesters have toted Confederate flags , slung arsenals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in lockdown .
Their avatar brags of medicating with hydroxychloroquine , a drug with side-effects that include paranoia , hallucinations and psychosis .
Peloton moms are repulsed .
Over the past half-century , the GOP has morphed into the heir of George Wallace , the segregationist Alabama governor and presidential candidate , and Pat Buchanan , Richard Nixon ’ s paleoconservative speechwriter .
The party of Abraham Lincoln and the upward arc is gone .
Frum was a speechwriter to George W Bush and helped coin the phrase “ axis of evil ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has “ delivered much more harm than good , from the Iraq war to the financial crisis to the Trump presidency ” .
Yet he remains committed to his Burkean worldview , of individual autonomy fused to social cohesion .
Trumpocalypse quotes the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan , that it is “ culture , not politics , that determines the success of a society ” .
By the same measure , “ politics can change a culture and save it from itself ” .
Frum criticizes the effective disenfranchisement wrought by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its abolition .
That would be futile .
Although the Republicans lost the popular vote in six of seven presidential contests since 1992 , they captured the White House three times .
Few surrender power for the asking .
After the debacle of 2000 , Frum ’ s boss extended an olive branch to blue America .
Bush sought to broaden his mandate .
Trump still spits in half the country ’ s eye .
Conciliation is not part of his DNA , or even his playbook .
Frum questions the legitimacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finishes second again in the popular vote .
He also homes in on the contradiction at the heart of Trumpian populism .
On the one hand , it is rooted in the belief that the silent majority should come first , not the elites .
On the other , its operative dictum is “ we should not choose our leaders just by counting who got the most votes ” .
Shades of Animal Farm : some folks are more equal than others .
Said differently , the people ’ s preferences should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ” .
In the end , Frum says , Trumpism is about defending a “ distinct way of life ” , one challenged by modernity .
Frum makes clear that this outlook is shared by the cosseted segments of Trump ’ s base .
Trumpocalypse quotes Peter Thiel , a pillar of Silicon Valley and an early Trump supporter , who sees democracy at odds with his libertarian ideals .
Thiel has written that he “ no longer believes that freedom and democracy are compatible ” .
A PayPal co-founder and Kushner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the “ extension of the franchise to women ” .
He also contends that the welfare state has “ rendered the notion of ‘ capitalist democracy ’ into an oxymoron ” .
Recent reports , however , describe even Thiel as displeased with Trump over his handling of the pandemic .
Trumpocalypse voices irreconcilable grievance .
Still , Frum ’ s dismay is not directed at the president ’ s supporters , at least he tries not to .
Frum understands that even if the incumbent loses re-election , the great American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On that note , Trumpocalypse rejects progressivism ’ s embrace of the “ Great Awokening ” , the volatile brew of identity politics and intersectionality .
The left ’ s orthodoxies find few takers in swing districts .
Frum opposes liberal immigration policies as devaluing the rights and status of actual citizens .
He also criticizes Biden for advocating healthcare expansion to cover undocumented migrants .
More Americans favor a wall along the southern border than support granting government healthcare to the undocumented .
Frum warns that “ the election can be thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters where they are ” .
Trumpocalypse proposes a series of reforms to rebalance the disconnect between the populace and electoral outcomes .
Among other things , Frum urges abolishing the filibuster if the Democrats retake the Senate : “ Don ’ t study or debate it .
Just do it.
” Right now , the odds of the GOP keeping the upper chamber are no better than 50-50 .
As for climate change , the author opposes the Green New Deal but backs a carbon tax and carbon sequestration .
In 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part due to congressional Democrats passing a “ cap and trade ” tax .
Whenever Trump leaves office , his legacy will haunt .
He was more than just a candidate , he embodied a movement .
His children show no hint of leaving the stage .
Frum observes that in theology , the apocalypse was not “ the end ” but the harbinger of a “ new and better order ” .
We ’ ll see .
But Trumpocalypse is an apt title for these blighted times .

Nearly 100,000 Americans lie dead, almost 40 million people are out of work, home mortgage delinquencies are soaring and the Mall of America is stiffing its lenders. The US looks like one of the president’s brand-name casinos. When Donald Trump said “One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear,” he meant the coronavirus. He could have been referring to the American Dream itself.
The Atlantic writer David Frum argues that “democracy is tested by its ability to deliver security, prosperity, and justice”. By that metric, the Trump presidency is a shambolic failure.
In a book mostly written before the pandemic, Frum details the efforts of the 45th president to gut the rule of law and institutionalize “white ethnic chauvinism”, leaving the country reeling, the constitution bruised. Trumpian alchemy has turned gold to lead.
Trumpocalypse recalls that in 2016, Senator Ted Cruz compared Trump to Benito Mussolini, then “went to work” in his “cloakroom”. Most recently, the president has threatened Michigan and Nevada over absentee balloting and waged war on government inspectors general. Sacking Rome was quicker than building it.
Frum’s journey is emblematic of our ongoing political realignment. The Republican party’s embrace of rural and white working-class voters has been met with an exodus of college graduates and suburbanites. Reliably red Arizona is tilting toward Joe Biden because of defections among seniors and four-year degree holders.
Frum observes that in theology, the apocalypse was not 'the end' but the harbinger of a 'new and better order'
Anti-closure protesters have toted Confederate flags, slung arsenals on their shoulders and left state legislatures in lockdown. Their avatar brags of medicating with hydroxychloroquine, a drug with side-effects that include paranoia, hallucinations and psychosis. Peloton moms are repulsed.
Over the past half-century, the GOP has morphed into the heir of George Wallace, the segregationist Alabama governor and presidential candidate, and Pat Buchanan, Richard Nixon’s paleoconservative speechwriter. The party of Abraham Lincoln and the upward arc is gone.
Frum was a speechwriter to George W Bush and helped coin the phrase “axis of evil”. Now he declares that 21st-century conservatism has “delivered much more harm than good, from the Iraq war to the financial crisis to the Trump presidency”. Yet he remains committed to his Burkean worldview, of individual autonomy fused to social cohesion.
Trumpocalypse quotes the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, that it is “culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society”. By the same measure, “politics can change a culture and save it from itself”.
Frum criticizes the effective disenfranchisement wrought by the electoral college but does not call for its abolition. That would be futile. Although the Republicans lost the popular vote in six of seven presidential contests since 1992, they captured the White House three times. Few surrender power for the asking.
After the debacle of 2000, Frum’s boss extended an olive branch to blue America. Bush sought to broaden his mandate. Trump still spits in half the country’s eye. Conciliation is not part of his DNA, or even his playbook.
David Frum speaks at Politicon in Nashville last October. Photograph: Brian Cahn/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
Frum questions the legitimacy of the process if Trump wins re-election but finishes second again in the popular vote. He also homes in on the contradiction at the heart of Trumpian populism.
On the one hand, it is rooted in the belief that the silent majority should come first, not the elites. On the other, its operative dictum is “we should not choose our leaders just by counting who got the most votes”. Shades of Animal Farm: some folks are more equal than others.
Said differently, the people’s preferences should not be equated with “will of the people”. In the end, Frum says, Trumpism is about defending a “distinct way of life”, one challenged by modernity.
Frum makes clear that this outlook is shared by the cosseted segments of Trump’s base. Trumpocalypse quotes Peter Thiel, a pillar of Silicon Valley and an early Trump supporter, who sees democracy at odds with his libertarian ideals. Thiel has written that he “no longer believes that freedom and democracy are compatible”.
A PayPal co-founder and Kushner family partner, Thiel blames this decoupling on the “extension of the franchise to women”. He also contends that the welfare state has “rendered the notion of ‘capitalist democracy’ into an oxymoron”. Recent reports, however, describe even Thiel as displeased with Trump over his handling of the pandemic.
Trumpocalypse voices irreconcilable grievance. Still, Frum’s dismay is not directed at the president’s supporters, at least he tries not to. Frum understands that even if the incumbent loses re-election, the great American divide is not disappearing anytime soon.
On that note, Trumpocalypse rejects progressivism’s embrace of the “Great Awokening”, the volatile brew of identity politics and intersectionality. The left’s orthodoxies find few takers in swing districts. Frum opposes liberal immigration policies as devaluing the rights and status of actual citizens. He also criticizes Biden for advocating healthcare expansion to cover undocumented migrants.
More Americans favor a wall along the southern border than support granting government healthcare to the undocumented. Frum warns that “the election can be thrown away by people who will not meet voters where they are”.
Trumpocalypse proposes a series of reforms to rebalance the disconnect between the populace and electoral outcomes. Among other things, Frum urges abolishing the filibuster if the Democrats retake the Senate: “Don’t study or debate it. Just do it.” Right now, the odds of the GOP keeping the upper chamber are no better than 50-50.
As for climate change, the author opposes the Green New Deal but backs a carbon tax and carbon sequestration. In 2010, the GOP regained the House in part due to congressional Democrats passing a “cap and trade” tax.
Whenever Trump leaves office, his legacy will haunt. He was more than just a candidate, he embodied a movement. His children show no hint of leaving the stage.
Frum observes that in theology, the apocalypse was not “the end” but the harbinger of a “new and better order”. We’ll see. But Trumpocalypse is an apt title for these blighted times.


theguardian--2020-05-24--Whatever Trump says, Americans are not dying to work – work may cause them to die | Robert Reich

Most of Europe and all 50 US states are in various stages of “ reopening ” .
But why , exactly ?
The pandemic is still with us .
After the first tentative steps to ease the lockdown in Germany – the most successful large European country in halting the spread of the virus , thanks to massive testing – the disease has shown signs of spreading faster .
At least Germany is opening slowly and carefully , as is the rest of the EU .
By contrast , the US – with the highest number of deaths and most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation – is opening chaotically , each state on its own .
Some are lifting restrictions overnight .
Researchers expect the reopenings to cause thousands of additional deaths .
Two weeks after Texas ’ governor , Greg Abbott , began reopening , the state experienced the single-highest rise in cases since the beginning of the pandemic .
Since Nebraska reopened on 4 May , Covid-19 cases in Colfax county alone surged 1,390 % .
Experts warn that Dallas , Houston , Florida ’ s Gold Coast , the entire state of Alabama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have rapidly reopened their economies are in danger of a second wave of coronavirus infections over the next four weeks .
Last Monday , Ford reopened its large North American assembly plants .
On Tuesday , it closed and reopened its Chicago Assembly plant twice in less than 24 hours , after two workers tested positive for Covid-19 .
On Wednesday , Ford temporarily shut its Dearborn , Michigan truck plant after an employee tested positive , then promptly resumed operations .
So why “ reopen ” so abruptly , when Covid-19 continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given is to get the economy moving again .
But this begs the question of why an economy exists in the first place , other than to promote the wellbeing of people within it .
Both Ford plants are vital to the company ’ s profitability , and that profitability is important to jobs in the midwest .
But surely the wellbeing of Ford workers , their families , the people of Chicago and Dearborn and others are more important .
A related argument is that workers are clamoring to return to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to work , ” Trump has asserted repeatedly .
Fox News host Sean Hannity claims people are “ dying to get back to work ” , seemingly unaware of the irony of his words .
Polls suggest otherwise .
Americans whose jobs require them to leave home express trepidation about doing so : 60 % fear exposing their families to Covid-19 .
Many Americans must return to work because they need the money , but this doesn ’ t have to be the case .
Rich economies can support their people for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world war , America shut down most of its economy for nearly four years .
The obstacle right now is a lack of political will to provide such support , at least until testing and tracing provide reasonable assurance the pandemic is contained .
Although nearly half of all US households report lost employment income since mid-March , extra jobless benefits enacted by Congress are only starting to trickle out now .
Trump and the Republican Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , refuse to extend them beyond 31 July .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company has called them back .
Finally , Trump and his enablers argue that reopening is a matter of “ freedom ” .
He has called on citizens to “ liberate ” their states from public-health restrictions .
Fox News personalities have decried what they call denials of “ basic freedoms ” .
Armed protesters stormed the Michigan state capitol , demanding the “ freedom ” to work .
At the Kentucky statehouse , protesters shouted “ We want to work !
” and “ We ’ re free citizens !
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a cruel joke when people are forced to choose between putting food on the table or risking their lives .
It ’ s the same perverse ideology that put workers in harm ’ s way in the dawn of the industrial age , when robber barons demanded workers be “ free ” to work in dangerous factories 12 hours a day .
In truth , there is no good reason to reopen when the pandemic is still raging : not getting the economy moving again , or workers clamoring to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income support , or because workers should be “ free ” to endanger themselves .
Let ’ s be clear .
The pressure to reopen the economy is coming from businesses that want to return to profitability , and from Trump , who wants to run for re-election in an economy that appears to be recovering .
Neither is reason enough .
• None Robert Reich , a former US secretary of labor , is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and The Common Good .
His new book , The System : Who Rigged It , How We Fix It , is out now .
He is a columnist for Guardian US

Most of Europe and all 50 US states are in various stages of “reopening”. But why, exactly?
The pandemic is still with us. After the first tentative steps to ease the lockdown in Germany – the most successful large European country in halting the spread of the virus, thanks to massive testing – the disease has shown signs of spreading faster.
At least Germany is opening slowly and carefully, as is the rest of the EU.
By contrast, the US – with the highest number of deaths and most haphazard response to Covid-19 of any advanced nation – is opening chaotically, each state on its own. Some are lifting restrictions overnight.
Researchers expect the reopenings to cause thousands of additional deaths.
Americans whose jobs require them to leave home express trepidation: 60% fear exposing their families to Covid-19
Two weeks after Texas’ governor, Greg Abbott, began reopening, the state experienced the single-highest rise in cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Since Nebraska reopened on 4 May, Covid-19 cases in Colfax county alone surged 1,390%.
Experts warn that Dallas, Houston, Florida’s Gold Coast, the entire state of Alabama and several other places in the south that have rapidly reopened their economies are in danger of a second wave of coronavirus infections over the next four weeks.
Last Monday, Ford reopened its large North American assembly plants. On Tuesday, it closed and reopened its Chicago Assembly plant twice in less than 24 hours, after two workers tested positive for Covid-19. On Wednesday, Ford temporarily shut its Dearborn, Michigan truck plant after an employee tested positive, then promptly resumed operations.
So why “reopen” so abruptly, when Covid-19 continues to claim lives?
The main reason given is to get the economy moving again. But this begs the question of why an economy exists in the first place, other than to promote the wellbeing of people within it.
Both Ford plants are vital to the company’s profitability, and that profitability is important to jobs in the midwest. But surely the wellbeing of Ford workers, their families, the people of Chicago and Dearborn and others are more important.
A related argument is that workers are clamoring to return to their jobs. “People want to get back to work,” Trump has asserted repeatedly. Fox News host Sean Hannity claims people are “dying to get back to work”, seemingly unaware of the irony of his words.
Polls suggest otherwise. Americans whose jobs require them to leave home express trepidation about doing so: 60% fear exposing their families to Covid-19.
Many Americans must return to work because they need the money, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Rich economies can support their people for years if necessary. During the second world war, America shut down most of its economy for nearly four years.
The obstacle right now is a lack of political will to provide such support, at least until testing and tracing provide reasonable assurance the pandemic is contained.
Although nearly half of all US households report lost employment income since mid-March, extra jobless benefits enacted by Congress are only starting to trickle out now. Trump and the Republican Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, refuse to extend them beyond 31 July.
Meanwhile, states are denying benefits to anyone whose company has called them back.
Finally, Trump and his enablers argue that reopening is a matter of “freedom”. He has called on citizens to “liberate” their states from public-health restrictions. Fox News personalities have decried what they call denials of “basic freedoms”.
Armed protesters stormed the Michigan state capitol, demanding the “freedom” to work. At the Kentucky statehouse, protesters shouted “We want to work!” and “We’re free citizens!”
But the supposed “freedom” to work is a cruel joke when people are forced to choose between putting food on the table or risking their lives. It’s the same perverse ideology that put workers in harm’s way in the dawn of the industrial age, when robber barons demanded workers be “free” to work in dangerous factories 12 hours a day.
In truth, there is no good reason to reopen when the pandemic is still raging: not getting the economy moving again, or workers clamoring to return to work, or the cost of extended income support, or because workers should be “free” to endanger themselves.
Let’s be clear. The pressure to reopen the economy is coming from businesses that want to return to profitability, and from Trump, who wants to run for re-election in an economy that appears to be recovering.
Neither is reason enough.


theguardian--2020-05-24--Coronavirus US live: Birx says Trump wears mask when not socially distancing – as it happened

The Associated Press has reported on concerns that insufficient or faulty data is hampering the US ’ s efforts to contain Covid-19 .
Here ’ s the report : Elected officials , businesses and others are depending on coronavirus testing and infection-rate data as states reopen so that they will know if a second wave of contagion is coming and whether another round of stay-at-home orders or closings might be needed .
But states are reporting those figures in different ways , and that can lead to frustration and confusion about what the numbers mean .
In some places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local leaders wondering whether they should loosen or tighten restrictions .
In others , officials are accused of spinning the numbers to make their states look better and justify reopening .
In a continuing theme for the outbreak in the United States , a lack of federal leadership persists .
Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been lumping together tests that measure different things .
Such errors render the CDC numbers about how many Americans are infected “ uninterpretable , ” creating a misleading picture for people trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ashish Jha , director of Harvard ’ s Global Health Institute , “ It is incumbent on health departments and the CDC to make sure they ’ re presenting information that ’ s accurate .
And if they can ’ t get it , then don ’ t show the data at all , ” Jha said .
“ Faulty data is much , much worse than no data .
”

Tom Lutz, Bryan Armen Graham and Martin Pengelly

24 May 2020 21.45 BST The Associated Press has reported on concerns that insufficient or faulty data is hampering the US’s efforts to contain Covid-19. Here’s the report: Elected officials, businesses and others are depending on coronavirus testing and infection-rate data as states reopen so that they will know if a second wave of contagion is coming and whether another round of stay-at-home orders or closings might be needed. But states are reporting those figures in different ways, and that can lead to frustration and confusion about what the numbers mean. In some places, there have been data gaps that leave local leaders wondering whether they should loosen or tighten restrictions. In others, officials are accused of spinning the numbers to make their states look better and justify reopening. In a continuing theme for the outbreak in the United States, a lack of federal leadership persists. Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been lumping together tests that measure different things. Such errors render the CDC numbers about how many Americans are infected “uninterpretable,” creating a misleading picture for people trying to make decisions based on the data, said Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, “It is incumbent on health departments and the CDC to make sure they’re presenting information that’s accurate. And if they can’t get it, then don’t show the data at all,” Jha said. “Faulty data is much, much worse than no data.”
24 May 2020 21.29 BST The press secretary for Ralph Northam, the Democratic governor of Virginia, has admitted the governor should have worn a facemask during a public appearance this weekend. Ralph Northam, who is also a qualified physician, said last week that “wearing a mask could literally save someone else’s life”. However, during a visit to Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Saturday he was seen without a mask. “He was outside yesterday and not expecting to be within six feet of anyone,” Northam’s press secretary, Alena Yarmosky, said in a statement on Sunday. “This is an important reminder to always have face coverings in case situations change we are all learning how to operate in this new normal, and it’s important to be prepared.” Physician, heal thyself. pic.twitter.com/KJuPzGWjew — Todd Gilbert (@cToddGilbert) May 24, 2020 Todd Gilbert, a Virginia Republican, tweeted a photo of Northam without a mask with the message “Physician, heal thyself”. Virginia governor Ralph Northam says masks save lives – then doesn't wear one Read more Deaths from Covid-19 in Virginia were at 1,135 as of Sunday.
Updated at 21.40 BST
24 May 2020 20.50 BST In an interview with Full Measure, Donald Trump has once again blamed the Covid-19 pandemic on China and praised his own handling of the crisis. “It came out of China, whether we like it or not, it came out of China. It could have been stopped. It came all over the world, but it didn’t really go to China,” said the president. “They stopped their planes going into China, but they didn’t stop their planes and their traffic going into the rest of the world, including the United States and Europe, and Europe is decimated. And you look at what happened all over the world, 186 countries. So now it’s a very terrible thing and they could have stopped it if they wanted to, they could have stopped it. Either it was incompetent or they didn’t want to, both are not very acceptable, by the way.” Trump was then asked how he felt when he first heard the virus could kill millions of people. As has been his habit, he praised his own response to the pandemic rather than express any sympathy towards those who have died or lost relatives. “So I was hearing millions of people, and it would have been millions of people if we didn’t shut down,” said Trump. “... I did a ban and nobody thought I should do it. I mean, literally I don’t think anybody thought I should do it. I made that decision by myself and it turned out to be a great decision. Hundreds of thousands of lives are saved.” Hydroxychloroquine: Trump's Covid-19 'cure' increases deaths, global study finds Read more The president also confirmed he had completed a two-week course of hydroxychloroquine to prevent Covid-19, despite scientists cautioning against taking the drug to treat the virus. “Well, I’ve heard tremendous reports about it,” said Trump. “Frankly, I’ve heard tremendous reports. Many people think it saved their lives.”
24 May 2020 20.26 BST My colleague Richard Luscombe has news on Joe Biden’s holiday weekend activities... The latest installment of Sincerely, Joe, the digital letter series launched earlier this month by the Democratic presumptive presidential candidate Joe Biden to showcase his correspondence with the American people during the coronavirus pandemic, includes the revelation that his favorite flavor of ice cream is, wait for it, chocolate chip. The detail comes in the former vice-president’s reply to a young letter writer called Jack Cooney, who sent a colorful drawing of himself with Biden and a request to know: “What was your favorite part of working with President Obama?” alongside the ice cream question. “Kids like you, our future leaders, give me hope,” Biden replied. “Your curiosity and your empathy underscore the idea that as Americans, we have the power to uplift one another and improve our communities for future generations. “It is no coincidence; this was also my favorite part about working with President Obama. His hope is eternal, his friendship is true, and he has a heart as big as they come. Our friends inspire, encourage, and support us, especially on our toughest days. Often, it’s as simple as being there for one another.” As for the ice cream, Biden urges Jack to: “continue to devote yourself to your studies, work hard every day, develop a genuine, life-long love of learning, and treat yourself to a little chocolate chip ice cream, my favorite flavor, every once in a while.” Aides have dismissed concerns that Biden’s campaign has suffered through his self-isolation at his Delaware home. He retains a 5.5% lead over Donald Trump in the Real Clear Politics national poll average for November’s election.
24 May 2020 20.05 BST New York is making its first steps towards reopening, a fact demonstrated when Governor Andrew Cuomo gave his daily press briefing from Long Island’s Jones Beach on Sunday. Cuomo said professional sports teams in New York will now be allowed to reopen their training camps and the governor said it was a sign of a “return to normalcy.” While New York City has been noticeably busier in the last week, the city’s beaches are still closed and many residents are expected to head to Long Island over the holiday weekend, where restrictions are less severe and beaches are open. New Yorkers ventured to Jones Beach on Sunday, despite cool temperatures. Photograph: Bryan R Smith/AFP/Getty Images Cuomo said that New Yorkers must still be vigilant, despite the easing however. The state recorded 109 deaths from Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, a slight rise from the previous day. “What do we really think, this is the last time we are going to have a public health emergency?” Cuomo said. “Let’s make sure we are better for what we have gone through.”
Temperatures in much of New York were cool on Sunday, but many people still wanted to be outside. “People still make the best out of it. It doesn’t matter. I guess during this pandemic they’ve been practicing staying home, staying safe, so now they see an opportunity and they just want to get out,” one New Yorker, Jessica M Lopez, told the Associated Press.
Updated at 20.09 BST
24 May 2020 19.46 BST Much of the focus on Covid-19 layoffs has understandably been on workers in the private sector. But New Jersey governor Phil Murphy today warned that state and federal workers could be at risk too. In an appearance on CNN, the Democratic governor said that some of the state’s teachers, police and health workers could be laid off if New Jersey does not receive more federal assistance. “We announced a budget on Friday for the next four months and we had to cut or defer over $5bn of expenditures,” he told CNN. “And this includes potentially laying off educators, firefighters, police, EMS, health care workers. This is not abstract. This is real. It’s not a blue state issue. It’s an American issue.” New Jersey has the second-most deaths of any US state from Covid-19. Murphy said 52 deaths from the virus had been reported in the last 24 hours, bring the state’s death toll to 11,133.
24 May 2020 19.23 BST UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s top adviser, Dominic Cummings, was revealed by the Guardian to have made a 264-mile trip to his parents’ home while the country was in lockdown. Many expected Cummings to resign - or be fired - for contravening the lockdown. Instead, today Johnson has backed his adviser saying he was right to take the trip, which Cummings said was in the interest of his son’s health after Cummings’ wife fell ill. An editorial in the Guardian echoes the feeling of many in the UK: Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? Boris Johnson has previously lauded the effort and sacrifice of the British people, who for nine weeks of lockdown have endured not only inconvenience and discomfort, but hardship and in many cases real sacrifice: of desperately needed income, of the opportunity to support struggling relatives, see dying family members, or attend the funerals of loved ones. Now it emerges that the rules are optional for the prime minister’s friends. The stated message was: “Stay at home”. The unstated: “Do as we say, and not as we do”. The breach of rules by Mr Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings, revealed by the Guardian and the Mirror, is not an abstruse Westminster affair involving complicated financial dealings, or arcane parliamentary regulations. It is a matter that everyone understands and in which everyone has a stake, because everyone has given up something they valued and many have paid dearly. People feel not just indignation, but rage. The Guardian view on Dominic Cummings: the unaccountable elite | Editorial Read more Many in the UK’s civil service appear to be angry with Johnson and Cummings too. A since deleted tweet from the civil service’s official account went straight to the point. “Arrogant and offensive,” read the tweet from the @UKCivilService Twitter account, which has just over 250,000 followers. “Can you imagine having to work with these truth twisters?”
24 May 2020 19.03 BST There fears that the holiday weekend may lead to people heading to public spaces and ignoring social distancing. That certainly appears to be the case in Missouri, where video emerged of a pool party at the Lake of the Ozarks packed with people who are separated by six inches rather than the recommended six feet. As the U.S. death toll from COVID nears 100,000, this is how people spent Saturday at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. pic.twitter.com/EBZKCQjRKf — Mark Elliott (@markmobility) May 24, 2020 A pool party may be the source of an outbreak in another state, Arkansas. The state’s governor, Asa Hutchinson, said this weekend that Arkansas faces a “second peak” of cases and some of those could be linked back to a high school party. “A high school swim party that I’m sure everybody thought was harmless,” Hutchinson said. “They’re young, they’re swimming, they’re just having activity, and positive cases resulted from that.” Arkansas has recently lifted some Covid-19 related restrictions but Hutchinson, a Republican, said he did not necessarily believes a rise in cases was due to the easing. “We’ve got to think about next fall,” he said. “We’re not going to be cloistered in our homes. That’s contrary to the American spirit.”
24 May 2020 18.41 BST After playing golf yesterday, Donald Trump was back on the fairways at his course in Virginia today. According to CNN’s Manu Raju, this is the president’s 266th trip to one of his golf clubs since he took office. Trump arrives at his Virginia golf club for the second time this weekend. Per CNN’s count, this is his 358th visit to one of his properties and his 266th trip to one of his golf clubs since he took office in January 2017. He’s golfed this weekend for the first time since March 8 — Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 24, 2020 Photos from Saturday, showed the president failing to observe social distancing and shaking hands during his round as the number of deaths from Covid-19 in the US approaches 100,000. Donald Trump shakes hands during a round of golf on Saturday. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Trump’s own public health experts said that golf is an acceptable activity but that players should still be cautious when playing. “We’re asking continuously for you all to be outside, to enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, to play golf, to hike, as Dr [Anthony] Fauci said, to play tennis with marked balls and to be out with your families that you have been in the household with and to even consider sharing social distance space,” said coronavirus taskforce member Dr Deborah Birx on Friday. Birx also said golfers should not touch flags on greens and added: “remember that that is your space, and that’s a space that you need to protect and ensure that you social distance for others.” Anyone playing with Trump today may want to keep an eye on the president’s scorecard too. Because, as Rick Reilly, has detailed the president does not always play by golf’s rules: Commander in cheat? Donald Trump's 18 golf tournament wins examined Read more
24 May 2020 17.27 BST Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Republican governor, decried the politicization of wearing masks in public to help contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. “This is not about politics, this is not about whether you’re liberal or conservative, left or right, Republican, Democrat,” DeWine said in an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “We wear the mask, and it’s been very clear what the studies have shown, you wear the mask not to protect yourself so much as to protect others. And this is one time when we truly are all in this together. What we do directly impacts others.” DeWine’s remarks were in response to North Dakota governor Doug Burgum’s emotional address on Friday decrying the “senseless dividing line” between US citizens over whether masks should be worn in public. With many states like Ohio beginning to relax stay-at-home restrictions, DeWine stressed the importance of doing it carefully. “Our order does say that every employee in every business unless there is some reason that they can’t wear that mask, every employee’s wearing a mask today,” he said. “So that’s a fundamental change in Ohio. As we go out, you know, a lot of stores you’ll see 90% of the people who do, the customers are wearing masks. But we want to continue to up that throughout the state because it is really what we need as we open up the economy. “Look, Chuck, this is a risk. But it’s also a risk if we don’t open up the economy, all the downsides of not opening the economy. We can do both these things.”


theguardian--2020-05-24--Virginia governor Ralph Northam says masks save lives – then doesn't wear one

Governor Ralph Northam has repeatedly urged Virginia residents to cover their faces in public during the coronavirus pandemic .
On Friday , he told reporters wearing a mask “ could literally save someone else ’ s life ” .
But the Democrat did not heed his own advice on Saturday , when he posed without a mask for photographs with residents during a visit to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront .
A spokeswoman for the governor ’ s office said Northam should have had a mask .
“ He was outside and not expecting to be within 6ft of anyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an important reminder to always have face coverings in case situations change .
We are all learning how to operate in this new normal , and it ’ s important to be prepared.
” Northam has suggested he will announce a statewide policy on face coverings on Tuesday .
At the beach on Saturday , he told reporters his administration was still working on the details .
Critics on social media chided Northam , a doctor , for not practicing what he has preached .
The Virginian-Pilot reported that Northam posed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she knew him and gave him a pat on the shoulder .
“ We just have to continue to remind people that we want to keep the social distance of 6ft apart , ” Northam said , when asked about the touch .
“ That ’ s a challenge for a lot of folks because they ’ re just not used to doing that.
” Virginia has more than 34,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,135 confirmed deaths , according to the state health department .
More than 1.6m cases have been confirmed across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Governor Ralph Northam has repeatedly urged Virginia residents to cover their faces in public during the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, he told reporters wearing a mask “could literally save someone else’s life”.
But the Democrat did not heed his own advice on Saturday, when he posed without a mask for photographs with residents during a visit to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
A spokeswoman for the governor’s office said Northam should have had a mask.
“He was outside and not expecting to be within 6ft of anyone,” Alena Yarmosky said. “This is an important reminder to always have face coverings in case situations change. We are all learning how to operate in this new normal, and it’s important to be prepared.”
Northam has suggested he will announce a statewide policy on face coverings on Tuesday. At the beach on Saturday, he told reporters his administration was still working on the details.
Critics on social media chided Northam, a doctor, for not practicing what he has preached.
“Physician, heal thyself,” tweeted Todd Gilbert, Virginia’s Republican House minority leader.
The Virginian-Pilot reported that Northam posed for a picture with a woman who said she knew him and gave him a pat on the shoulder.
“We just have to continue to remind people that we want to keep the social distance of 6ft apart,” Northam said, when asked about the touch. “That’s a challenge for a lot of folks because they’re just not used to doing that.”
Virginia has more than 34,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,135 confirmed deaths, according to the state health department. More than 1.6m cases have been confirmed across the US, and nearly 100,000 deaths.


theguardian--2020-05-24--Trump: Sessions was not 'mentally qualified' to be attorney general

Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions ’ playground fight continued into Sunday .
In an interview with Sinclair TV , Trump said Sessions had not been “ mentally qualified ” to be his first attorney general .
Now running for his old Senate seat in Alabama , Sessions continues to doggedly protest that only he could properly implement the president ’ s agenda .
The undignified exchange began on Friday night .
Still sore over Sessions ’ recusal from the Russia investigation in early 2017 , and having recorded the Sinclair interview at the White House earlier that day , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally .
Sessions objected but insisted , loyally , that he was the right pick for Trump supporters .
Then on Saturday Trump hit back harder , saying Sessions “ ruined many lives ” and appearing to equate his former aide with the “ dirty cops ” of the Russia investigation , whom the president referred to as “ slime ” .
Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian election interference after failing to inform Congress of contacts with the Russian ambassador during the election campaign .
His deputy , Rod Rosenstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Trump fired James Comey , the director of the FBI who had overseen the investigation since its beginnings under Barack Obama .
After a near-two-year investigation , Mueller did not find a conspiracy between Trump and Russia but did lay out links with Moscow and possible instances of obstruction of justice by the president , whom he did not exonerate .
“ Mr President , ” Sessions began a Saturday tweet .
“ Alabama can and does trust me , as do conservatives across the country .
Perhaps you ’ ve forgotten.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who spent his White House evening firing off abuse and retweeting messages in questionable taste about Sessions , Joe Biden , Nancy Pelosi , Stacey Abrams , Hillary Clinton and others .
“ They trusted me , ” Sessions went on , “ when I stepped out and put that trust on the line for you .
You and I fight for the same agenda .
Tommy Tuberville [ his Senate opponent , ahead in the polls , endorsed by Trump ] is so weak he won ’ t debate me and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will vote for you this fall , but Alabama will not take orders from Washington on who to send to the Senate.
” The message was in keeping with Sessions ’ campaign tactic of maintaining extreme loyalty to the man who regularly humiliated him in office and , after the 2018 midterm elections , fired him .
He succeeded only in poking the bear .
“ Jeff , ” Trump wrote , “ you had your chance and you blew it .
Recused yourself … and ran for the hills .
You had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The dirty cops , and others , got caught by better and stronger people than you .
Hopefully this slime will pay a big price .
“ You should drop out of the race and pray that super liberal Doug Jones … gets beaten badly .
He voted for impeachment based on “ ZERO ” .
Disgraced Alabama .
Coach Tuberville will be a GREAT Senator !
” Tuberville , who once coached the Auburn Tigers , a college football power , will face Sessions in a run-off in July .
Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , beating a hugely controversial Republican , Roy Moore .
The Democrat faces an uphill battle to keep the seat in November .
“ I will never apologize for following the law and serving faithfully and with honor , ” said the immigration hardliner who was once denied a federal judgeship over accusations of racism , who was the first senator to endorse Trump and who mentored Stephen Miller , Trump ’ s far-right White House adviser .
“ Neither of us knew about the phony investigation into our campaign until after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will recall , I recommended firing James Comey from the very beginning.
” “ Jeff Sessions was a disaster as attorney general , ” the president told the syndicated Full Measure show , in a rambling complaint about the Russia investigation .
“ Should have never been attorney general , was not qualified .
He ’ s not mentally qualified to be attorney general .
He was the biggest problem .
”

Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions’ playground fight continued into Sunday. In an interview with Sinclair TV, Trump said Sessions had not been “mentally qualified” to be his first attorney general.
Now running for his old Senate seat in Alabama, Sessions continues to doggedly protest that only he could properly implement the president’s agenda.
The undignified exchange began on Friday night. Still sore over Sessions’ recusal from the Russia investigation in early 2017, and having recorded the Sinclair interview at the White House earlier that day, Trump told voters not to trust his former ally.
Sessions objected but insisted, loyally, that he was the right pick for Trump supporters.
Then on Saturday Trump hit back harder, saying Sessions “ruined many lives” and appearing to equate his former aide with the “dirty cops” of the Russia investigation, whom the president referred to as “slime”.
Sessions recused himself from the investigation into Russian election interference after failing to inform Congress of contacts with the Russian ambassador during the election campaign.
His deputy, Rod Rosenstein, appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel after Trump fired James Comey, the director of the FBI who had overseen the investigation since its beginnings under Barack Obama.
After a near-two-year investigation, Mueller did not find a conspiracy between Trump and Russia but did lay out links with Moscow and possible instances of obstruction of justice by the president, whom he did not exonerate.
“Mr President,” Sessions began a Saturday tweet. “Alabama can and does trust me, as do conservatives across the country. Perhaps you’ve forgotten.”
The message did not calm Trump, who spent his White House evening firing off abuse and retweeting messages in questionable taste about Sessions, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Stacey Abrams, Hillary Clinton and others.
“They trusted me,” Sessions went on, “when I stepped out and put that trust on the line for you. You and I fight for the same agenda. Tommy Tuberville [his Senate opponent, ahead in the polls, endorsed by Trump] is so weak he won’t debate me and too weak for Alabama.
“Alabama will vote for you this fall, but Alabama will not take orders from Washington on who to send to the Senate.”
The message was in keeping with Sessions’ campaign tactic of maintaining extreme loyalty to the man who regularly humiliated him in office and, after the 2018 midterm elections, fired him. He succeeded only in poking the bear.
“Jeff,” Trump wrote, “you had your chance and you blew it. Recused yourself … and ran for the hills. You had no courage, and ruined many lives. The dirty cops, and others, got caught by better and stronger people than you. Hopefully this slime will pay a big price.
“You should drop out of the race and pray that super liberal Doug Jones … gets beaten badly. He voted for impeachment based on “ZERO”. Disgraced Alabama. Coach Tuberville will be a GREAT Senator!”
Tuberville, who once coached the Auburn Tigers, a college football power, will face Sessions in a run-off in July. Jones won Sessions’ old seat in December 2017, beating a hugely controversial Republican, Roy Moore. The Democrat faces an uphill battle to keep the seat in November.
Doggedly, Sessions still wasn’t done.
“I will never apologize for following the law and serving faithfully and with honor,” said the immigration hardliner who was once denied a federal judgeship over accusations of racism, who was the first senator to endorse Trump and who mentored Stephen Miller, Trump’s far-right White House adviser.
“Neither of us knew about the phony investigation into our campaign until after I was sworn in. As you will recall, I recommended firing James Comey from the very beginning.”
That was Saturday night. Sunday morning brought cold comfort.
“Jeff Sessions was a disaster as attorney general,” the president told the syndicated Full Measure show, in a rambling complaint about the Russia investigation.
“Should have never been attorney general, was not qualified. He’s not mentally qualified to be attorney general. He was the biggest problem.”


theguardian--2020-05-24--Cyber security review may spell end for Huawei 5G deal

The National Cyber Security Agency in the UK is expected to conclude that US sanctions against Huawei will make it impossible to use the Chinese company ’ s technology as planned for 5G networks .
The emergency review , announced on Sunday , is designed to pave the way for Downing Street to push for the total elimination of Huawei equipment in British phone networks by 2023 and quell a Conservative backbench revolt .
That move will amount to a hasty reversal of the policy announced by ministers in January to limit Huawei to 35 % of the British 5G @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and adding hundreds of millions of costs to BT and other phone companies .
Leaks on Friday suggested that Downing Street was preparing the ground for a dramatic climbdown .
A government spokesman said : “ Following the US announcement of additional sanctions against Huawei , the NCSC is looking carefully at any impact they could have to the UK ’ s networks.
” In early May , the US said it would impose fresh sanctions against Huawei as part of a long-running campaign against the company , whose technology , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by China to conduct surveillance against the west .
The US sanctions , due to be introduced in September , would prevent Huawei from using US semiconductors and software to build 5G equipment and force it to source alternatives , most likelyfrom China .
Whitehall sources said the threatened US restrictions meant that any review would almost certainly say that Huawei posed a security risk .
A particular concern was that Huawei would become reliant on unfamiliar and untested components , which could be exploited .
Huawei has repeatedly denied that its technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would cooperate .
Victor Zhang , its vice-president , said : “ We are happy to discuss with NCSC any concerns they may have and hope to continue the close working relationship we have enjoyed for the last 10 years.
” The Chinese company had become the leading supplier of 5G equipment in a market otherwise dominated by Ericsson of Sweden and Nokia of Finland , and was known for producing cheaper kit , which made it attractive to BT and Vodafone .
However , British political attitudes to China have hardened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid complaints that Beijing was slow to acknowledge the seriousness of the disease when it first emerged in the city of Wuhan .
Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Bob Seely have led a group of Conservative MPs who have been demanding that Huawei ’ s position be reduced to zero ; they now believe they have the numbers to block government attempts to legislate for a 35 % cap on Huawei in Britain .
On Sunday Seely tweeted that there were “ now 59 MPs ” in the Conservative Huawei Interest Group – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or so rebels required to defeat Johnson ’ s government despite the Tories ’ healthy Commons majority .
Matthew Henderson , director of the Asia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society , said : “ This review is recognition that the government ’ s previous position on Huawei was untenable , both due to the scale of opposition in parliament and from our allies .
”

The National Cyber Security Centre in the UK is expected to conclude that US sanctions against Huawei will make it impossible to use the Chinese company’s technology as planned for 5G networks.
The emergency review, announced on Sunday, is designed to pave the way for Downing Street to push for the total elimination of Huawei equipment in British phone networks by 2023 and quell a Conservative backbench revolt.
That move will amount to a hasty reversal of the policy announced by ministers in January to limit Huawei to 35% of the British 5G network supply. It also risks irritating China and adding hundreds of millions of costs to BT and other phone companies.
Leaks on Friday suggested that Downing Street was preparing the ground for a dramatic climbdown.
A government spokesman said: “Following the US announcement of additional sanctions against Huawei, the NCSC is looking carefully at any impact they could have to the UK’s networks.”
In early May, the US said it would impose fresh sanctions against Huawei as part of a long-running campaign against the company, whose technology, the White House claims, could be exploited by China to conduct surveillance against the west.
The US sanctions, due to be introduced in September, would prevent Huawei from using US semiconductors and software to build 5G equipment and force it to source alternatives, most likelyfrom China.
Whitehall sources said the threatened US restrictions meant that any review would almost certainly say that Huawei posed a security risk. A particular concern was that Huawei would become reliant on unfamiliar and untested components, which could be exploited.
Huawei has repeatedly denied that its technology is used for surveillance, and said it would cooperate.
Victor Zhang, its vice-president, said: “We are happy to discuss with NCSC any concerns they may have and hope to continue the close working relationship we have enjoyed for the last 10 years.”
The Chinese company had become the leading supplier of 5G equipment in a market otherwise dominated by Ericsson of Sweden and Nokia of Finland, and was known for producing cheaper kit, which made it attractive to BT and Vodafone.
However, British political attitudes to China have hardened since the start of the coronavirus crisis amid complaints that Beijing was slow to acknowledge the seriousness of the disease when it first emerged in the city of Wuhan.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith and Bob Seely have led a group of Conservative MPs who have been demanding that Huawei’s position be reduced to zero; they now believe they have the numbers to block government attempts to legislate for a 35% cap on Huawei in Britain.
On Sunday Seely tweeted that there were “now 59 MPs” in the Conservative Huawei Interest Group – in theory, more than the 44 or so rebels required to defeat Johnson’s government despite the Tories’ healthy Commons majority.
Matthew Henderson, director of the Asia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society, said: “This review is recognition that the government’s previous position on Huawei was untenable, both due to the scale of opposition in parliament and from our allies.”


theguardian--2020-05-24--Democratic VP contender Demings slams Trump 'gall' over Biden black voters gaffe

Val Demings , a Democratic representative from Florida among contenders to be Joe Biden ’ s presidential running mate , has castigated Donald Trump for having the “ gall and nerve ” to use a gaffe by Biden as a weapon on the campaign trail .
Biden apologised on Friday , for saying that if African Americans “ have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t black ” .
The remark prompted gleeful tweets from Trump , fierce attacks from supporters of the president and criticism from Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t have said it , ” Demings told CNN ’ s State of the Union on Sunday .
“ But I really think the gall and the nerve of President Trump to try to use this in his campaign , he who has since day one done everything in his power , supported by his enablers , to divide this country , particularly along racial lines … “ Look , let ’ s talk about race because we definitely need to , we see it in housing , we see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in healthcare , we see it in education .
Mr President , let ’ s do have a serious conversation about race in America and how about working for all people that you are supposed to represent , not just the privileged few.
” It was the kind of fiery defence Biden would expect from someone talked about as a possible running mate .
The former vice-president and presumptive Democratic nominee to face Trump in November has committed to choosing a woman .
Many – including the interviewer who elicited the controversial comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God – think the running mate should also be African American .
“ I don ’ t even care about the words , ” Charlamagne told MSNBC ’ s AM Joy on Sunday , “ and the lip service and the apology is cool , but the best apology is actually a black agenda .
They got to make some real policy commitments to black people.
” California senator Kamala Harris and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams – a target of retweets in dubious taste from Trump on Saturday night – are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mate picks .
But Demings , a former Orlando police chief , delivered a decent mini-audition for a traditional running mate role by going firmly on the offensive .
Asked about expressions of outrage from the Republican South Carolina senator Tim Scott and former Utah representative Mia Love , Demings said : “ I think it ’ s interesting that the president searched high and low to find [ an ] African American member of the Senate and a former member of Congress to speak out on this issue .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , male or female , speak out.
” In fact many did , including former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley , who is of Indian heritage and who many think is lining up a White House run of her own in 2024 , or could even be considered as a replacement for Mike Pence as Trump ’ s own pick for VP .
“ Regardless of color , gender , or class , to label any individual with what he or she is expected to think , believe , and vote is demeaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Not to mention arrogant and entitled.
” On Sunday , CNN host Dana Bash asked directly if Demings wanted to be vice-president .
She did not answer directly , but made it clear she would serve if asked .

Val Demings, a Democratic representative from Florida among contenders to be Joe Biden’s presidential running mate, has castigated Donald Trump for having the “gall and nerve” to use a gaffe by Biden as a weapon on the campaign trail.
Biden apologised on Friday, for saying that if African Americans “have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black”.
The remark prompted gleeful tweets from Trump, fierce attacks from supporters of the president and criticism from Biden’s own backers.
“The vice-president shouldn’t have said it,” Demings told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.
“But I really think the gall and the nerve of President Trump to try to use this in his campaign, he who has since day one done everything in his power, supported by his enablers, to divide this country, particularly along racial lines …
“Look, let’s talk about race because we definitely need to, we see it in housing, we see it in voting rights, we see it in healthcare, we see it in education. Mr President, let’s do have a serious conversation about race in America and how about working for all people that you are supposed to represent, not just the privileged few.”
It was the kind of fiery defence Biden would expect from someone talked about as a possible running mate.
The former vice-president and presumptive Democratic nominee to face Trump in November has committed to choosing a woman. Many – including the interviewer who elicited the controversial comment on Friday, radio host Charlamagne tha God – think the running mate should also be African American.
“I don’t even care about the words,” Charlamagne told MSNBC’s AM Joy on Sunday, “and the lip service and the apology is cool, but the best apology is actually a black agenda. They got to make some real policy commitments to black people.”
California senator Kamala Harris and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams – a target of retweets in dubious taste from Trump on Saturday night – are thought to be the most likely running mate picks.
But Demings, a former Orlando police chief, delivered a decent mini-audition for a traditional running mate role by going firmly on the offensive.
Asked about expressions of outrage from the Republican South Carolina senator Tim Scott and former Utah representative Mia Love, Demings said: “I think it’s interesting that the president searched high and low to find [an] African American member of the Senate and a former member of Congress to speak out on this issue.
“It’d be nice to hear other Republicans, male or female, speak out.”
01:13 Biden tells voters 'you ain't black' if you're still deciding between him and Trump – video
In fact many did, including former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who is of Indian heritage and who many think is lining up a White House run of her own in 2024, or could even be considered as a replacement for Mike Pence as Trump’s own pick for VP.
Haley called Biden’s remark “gut wrenchingly condescending”.
“Regardless of color, gender, or class, to label any individual with what he or she is expected to think, believe, and vote is demeaning and disrespectful,” she said. “Not to mention arrogant and entitled.”
On Sunday, CNN host Dana Bash asked directly if Demings wanted to be vice-president. She did not answer directly, but made it clear she would serve if asked.


theguardian--2020-05-24--Coronavirus: Trump aide claims China guilty of cover-up akin to Chernobyl

The White House on Sunday accused China of a cover-up that will “ go down in history along with Chernobyl ” , ramping up efforts to deflect attention from a Covid-19 death toll in the US fast closing on 100,000 .
Robert O ’ Brien , Donald Trump ’ s national security adviser , made the claim on two political talk shows , saying Beijing gave “ false information ” to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) at the start of the year and alleging that stonewalling of an investigation into the origins of the pandemic has cost “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America and around the world ” .
On Saturday Mike Pence , the vice-president , told Breitbart News that China had “ let the world down ” and insisted the WHO was “ their willing partner in withholding from the US and wider world vital information about the coronavirus ” .
The Trump administration has become increasingly keen to move attention away from its handling of the pandemic , which has seen more deaths in the US than any other nation and a broken economy including soaring unemployment that another senior adviser told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digits ” by the 3 November presidential election .
O ’ Brien dampened speculation that the administration might seek to delay that election .
But as China warned that Washington ’ s “ lies ” were “ pushing our two countries to the brink of a new cold war ” , he went firmly on the attack .
Speaking to CBS ’ s Face the Nation , he claimed Beijing knew of the looming crisis as early as November but chose to keep it quiet .
“ We don ’ t know who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it doesn ’ t matter if it was the local Chinese government or the Communist party of China , ” he said .
“ Look , this was a virus that was unleashed by China .
There was a cover up that someday they ’ re going to do an HBO show like they did with Chernobyl , ” he added , likening the pandemic to the 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine which Soviet authorities initially tried to hide .
O ’ Brien repeated the claim on NBC ’ s Meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover-up that … is going to go down in history along with Chernobyl ” .
Most scientists say the pathogen that has infected 5.3 million people and killed more than 342,000 worldwide , according to Johns Hopkins University , was passed from bats to humans via an intermediary species probably sold at a wet market in Wuhan , China , last year .
But Trump , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other senior US figures have repeatedly said they suspect the coronavirus was somehow released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s a chance , and it ’ s been reported , that the Chinese have been engaged in espionage to try and find the research and the technologies that we ’ re working on both for a vaccine and a therapy , ” he told CBS .
“ So look , they ’ ve got a many , many year history of stealing American intellectual property and knocking off American technology .
I wouldn ’ t be surprised if they did that with vaccines.
” O ’ Brien also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers from Brazil .
After spending much of Saturday playing golf at his resort in Virginia , Trump had no public engagements on Sunday .
He duly went back to Trump National in Sterling .
On Twitter the president , who criticized Barack Obama in 2014 for golfing when a second case of Ebola was confirmed in the US , preferred to concentrate on topics other than the pandemic .
Trump feuded with his former attorney general , Jeff Sessions ; attacked Joe Biden , his likely opponent in November ; retweeted abusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations that mail-in ballots lead to rigged elections ; and repeated baseless insinuations that an MSNBC host might have murdered an aide .
He also tweeted falsely that coronavirus “ cases , numbers and deaths are going down all over the Country !
” On Saturday , North Carolina reported its highest one-day spike in cases .
Official statistics continue to show hotspots in other places including Washington DC – where O ’ Brien said the administration still hopes to hold an in-person G7 summit in July – and Florida , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases was not slowing .
On Friday Dr Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus response coordinator , encouraged the public to go outdoors over the Memorial Day weekend .
“ We know being outside does help , we know the sun does help in killing the virus , but that doesn ’ t change the fact that people need to be responsible and maintain that distance , ” she told Fox News Sunday , when presented with images of packed beaches and people in close proximity , not wearing masks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ very clear message to the American people , ” she said , “ … across the country there is a virus out there.
” Birx also said Trump himself did wear a mask when not able to maintain social distance .
Trump was not pictured using a mask on his trips to play golf in Virginia .
On ABC ’ s This Week , Birx was asked if the nation would need an extended or second lockdown .
“ It ’ s difficult to tell and I really am data-driven , so I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether governors and whether states and whether communities are able to open safely , ” she said .
“ All of this proactive testing needs to be in place and needs to continue to be in place because that will determine safely remaining open in the fall.
” One thing the Trump administration admits will not bounce back fully by fall is the US unemployment rate , which Kevin Hassett , a senior adviser , told CNN would still be in double figures by the time of the election .
“ Unemployment will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ You ’ re going to be starting at a number in the 20s [ per cent ] and working your way down .
And so , of course , you could still not be back to full employment by September or October .
”

Richard Luscombe in Miami and Martin Pengelly in New York

The White House on Sunday accused China of a cover-up that will “go down in history along with Chernobyl”, ramping up efforts to deflect attention from a Covid-19 death toll in the US fast closing on 100,000.
Robert O’Brien, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, made the claim on two political talk shows, saying Beijing gave “false information” to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the start of the year and alleging that stonewalling of an investigation into the origins of the pandemic has cost “many, many thousands of lives in America and around the world”.
On Saturday Mike Pence, the vice-president, told Breitbart News that China had “let the world down” and insisted the WHO was “their willing partner in withholding from the US and wider world vital information about the coronavirus”.
The Trump administration has become increasingly keen to move attention away from its handling of the pandemic, which has seen more deaths in the US than any other nation and a broken economy including soaring unemployment that another senior adviser told CNN would still be “in double digits” by the 3 November presidential election.
O’Brien dampened speculation that the administration might seek to delay that election. But as China warned that Washington’s “lies” were “pushing our two countries to the brink of a new cold war”, he went firmly on the attack.
Someday they’re going to do an HBO show like they did with Chernobyl Robert O'Brien
Speaking to CBS’s Face the Nation, he claimed Beijing knew of the looming crisis as early as November but chose to keep it quiet.
“We don’t know who in the Chinese government did it, but it doesn’t matter if it was the local Chinese government or the Communist party of China,” he said.
“Look, this was a virus that was unleashed by China. There was a cover up that someday they’re going to do an HBO show like they did with Chernobyl,” he added, likening the pandemic to the 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine which Soviet authorities initially tried to hide.
O’Brien repeated the claim on NBC’s Meet the Press, accusing China of a “cover-up that … is going to go down in history along with Chernobyl”.
Most scientists say the pathogen that has infected 5.3 million people and killed more than 342,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, was passed from bats to humans via an intermediary species probably sold at a wet market in Wuhan, China, last year.
But Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other senior US figures have repeatedly said they suspect the coronavirus was somehow released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a claim China has strenuously denied.
O’Brien claimed China’s alleged skulduggery was continuing.
“There’s a chance, and it’s been reported, that the Chinese have been engaged in espionage to try and find the research and the technologies that we’re working on both for a vaccine and a therapy,” he told CBS.
“So look, they’ve got a many, many year history of stealing American intellectual property and knocking off American technology. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did that with vaccines.”
O’Brien also said the US would soon implement restrictions on travelers from Brazil.
After spending much of Saturday playing golf at his resort in Virginia, Trump had no public engagements on Sunday. He duly went back to Trump National in Sterling.
On Twitter the president, who criticized Barack Obama in 2014 for golfing when a second case of Ebola was confirmed in the US, preferred to concentrate on topics other than the pandemic.
Trump feuded with his former attorney general, Jeff Sessions; attacked Joe Biden, his likely opponent in November; retweeted abusive messages about female opponents; repeated unsubstantiated allegations that mail-in ballots lead to rigged elections; and repeated baseless insinuations that an MSNBC host might have murdered an aide.
He also tweeted falsely that coronavirus “cases, numbers and deaths are going down all over the Country!”
On Saturday, North Carolina reported its highest one-day spike in cases. Official statistics continue to show hotspots in other places including Washington DC – where O’Brien said the administration still hopes to hold an in-person G7 summit in July – and Florida, where the Miami Herald reported that the rate of new cases was not slowing.
On Friday Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, encouraged the public to go outdoors over the Memorial Day weekend.
Donald Trump leaves the White House on Sunday. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
“We know being outside does help, we know the sun does help in killing the virus, but that doesn’t change the fact that people need to be responsible and maintain that distance,” she told Fox News Sunday, when presented with images of packed beaches and people in close proximity, not wearing masks.
“I was hoping to convey this very clear message to the American people,” she said, “… across the country there is a virus out there.”
Birx also said Trump himself did wear a mask when not able to maintain social distance. Trump was not pictured using a mask on his trips to play golf in Virginia.
On ABC’s This Week, Birx was asked if the nation would need an extended or second lockdown.
“It’s difficult to tell and I really am data-driven, so I’m collecting data right now about whether governors and whether states and whether communities are able to open safely,” she said.
“All of this proactive testing needs to be in place and needs to continue to be in place because that will determine safely remaining open in the fall.”
One thing the Trump administration admits will not bounce back fully by fall is the US unemployment rate, which Kevin Hassett, a senior adviser, told CNN would still be in double figures by the time of the election.
“Unemployment will be something that moves back slower,” he said. “You’re going to be starting at a number in the 20s [per cent] and working your way down. And so, of course, you could still not be back to full employment by September or October.”