Trump urges states to ‘LIBERATE!’
Democratic-led Minn., Mich. and Va. the target of tweets
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump urged supporters to “LIBERATE” three states led by Democratic governors Friday, apparently encouraging the growing protests against stay-at-home restrictions aimed at stopping the coronavirus.
A day after laying out a road map to gradually reopen the crippled economy, Trump took to Twitter with the rhetoric some of his supporters have used in demanding the lifting of the orders that have thrown millions of Americans out of work.
“LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” “LIBERATE VIRGINIA,” he said in a tweet-storm in which he also lashed out at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for criticizing the federal response. Cuomo “should spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining,’ ” the president said.
Responding to pleas from governors for help from Washington in ramping up testing for the virus, Trump put the burden back on them: “The States have to step up their TESTING!”
Trump’s tweets began moments after a Fox News report by Mike Tobin about protests in Minnesota and elsewhere. The report featured a protester from Virginia saying “those of us who are healthy and want to get out of our house and do business, we need to get this going again. It’s time.”
On a phone call between Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Democrats, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia asked why Trump was trying to incite division in the middle of pandemic, in reference to Trump’s “LIBERATE” tweets, according to a person familiar with the call.
When Pence said that the administration was working respectfully with governors, Kaine noted that the tweets in question were not respectful.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to see businesses reopen quickly and claimed this week that he possesses total authority over the matter, even though the lockdowns and other social-distancing measures have been imposed by state and local leaders.
On Thursday, the president detailed a three-step set of guidelines for easing restrictions over a span of several weeks in places that have robust testing and are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases, assuring the nation’s governors: “You’re going to call your own shots.”
In Florida, GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis gave the green light for municipalities to reopen beaches and parks if they could do so safely. In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said stores could begin selling curbside, nonessential surgery could resume and state parks could reopen.
But governors of both parties Friday suggested they would be cautious in returning to normal, with some of them warning that they can’t do it without help from Washington to expand testing.
“The federal government cannot wipe its hands of this and say, ‘Oh, the states are responsible for testing,’ ” Cuomo said. “We cannot do it without federal help.”
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican ally of Trump’s, said he would listen to medical experts in deciding how to move forward.
“I am not going to do something that I feel in my heart is the wrong thing that’s going to endanger our people,” he said.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, went further Friday, saying Trump’s tweets about “liberating” states put millions of Americans at risk of contracting COVID-19.
“His unhinged rantings and calls for people to ‘liberate’ states could also lead to violence,“Inslee said. “We’ve seen it before. The president is fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies even while his own administration says the virus is real and is deadly.”
The clash between Trump and Cuomo was personal, with the president complaining the governor hasn’t said thanks for the help he has received from Washington. Cuomo countered by saying: “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, send a bouquet of flowers? ‘Thank you to the federal government for participating in a federal emergency.’ ”
Even in largely rural states with small populations, such as Wyoming, Maine and South Dakota, governors said they were not anxious to quickly resume business as usual.
“Until we’ve got the testing up to speed — which has got to be part of the federal government stepping in and helping — we’re just not going to be there,” said Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican.
More than a month after Trump declared, “Anybody who wants a test, can get a test,” people report being unable to get tested. Labs and public officials say critical supply shortages are making it impossible to increase testing to the levels experts say is necessary to keep the virus in check.
Trump has denied that the U.S. has fallen short, asserting that the nation has the “most expansive and accurate testing system anywhere in the world.” ”
The official death toll in the U.S. surpassed 36,000, with over 690,000 confirmed infections, accoprding to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The New York Times contributed.