NAACP Poll Shows African Americans Have Little Faith In Trump’s Coronavirus Response
A recent NAACP poll shows African Americans have an unfavorable opinion on how President Trump and his administration have handled the coronavirus response.
According to the survey, conducted by the African American Research Collaborative, 80% of the national sample of African Americans rated Trump’s performance negatively while 19% have a positive view. Eighty percent of respondents polled also said they want the country to hold off on reopening the economy until safety is assured.
African Americans, however, viewed their local governments more positively. Sixty-three percent viewed their mayor’s response positively; 62% said their state’s governors were handling the crisis well.
The survey polled 604 African Americans from May 1 through May 7 using online and phone responses. Its margin of error was 3.9 percentage points.
The approval ratings for governors that have kept states closed were viewed more positively than in states that have reopened quickly, potentially putting thousands of black lives in jeopardy. In New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, 72% of respondents gave governors a positive rating. However, in Georgia and Florida, states that have already reopened, 42% of respondents viewed their governors negatively.
People who took part in the poll were also asked who they trust using a 10-point scale. Doctors and nurses received the highest average from respondents at 7.85. Local hospitals and public health officials followed at 7.24 and African American elected officials were third at 6.96.
President Trump was one of the lowest on the list at 3.05.
Forty-one percent of respondents also said they are either working from home or know someone who is. This is an uptick from a March study that showed less than 20% of African Americans were telecommuting. However, 36% said they had lost a job or had seen a cut in hours or know someone who had.
Hip-Hop Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Granted Early Release From Prison
Former Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, has been granted early release and will be freed 21 years earlier next month to home confinement, according to the Detroit Free Press. Kilpatrick, 49, was originally scheduled to be released in the year 2037 after being convicted on 24 counts of public corruption including bribery, racketeering and fraud.
Kilpatrick, who used to wear a diamond stud in his ear, was dubbed the “hip-hop mayor.”
William Barr, the U.S. Attorney General, has ordered the federal Bureau of Prisons to release as many inmates as possible to home confinement due to COVID-19. The coronavirus has been seen to spread rapidly in prisons where the opportunity to social distance is severely limited.
The Ebony Foundation have been champions of freeing the former disgraced mayor, partnering with several other black leaders to petition for Kilpatrick’s release. The National Baptist Convention of America, the NAACP, the National Business League, and several pastors of Black churches across the country had petitioned President Donald Trump to grant clemency to Kilpatrick.
“He said that he was being released,” state Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit, who has been pushing for Kilpatrick’s freedom said, adding: “I’m elated for him. … An out is an out. … He’s done his time. And I think, ‘My God, when is long enough long enough.’ ”
Whitsett, also told the Detroit Free press, that she confirmed with the White House that Kilpatrick is among 3,000 inmates who will be released. Whitsett had previously tested positive for the coronavirus in March and has credited Donald Trump for promoting hydroxychloroquine which she believes saved her life.
Current Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was asked during a press briefing for his thoughts on the situation.
“Known him since he was in high school. When he was teaching at Marcus Garvey and going to law school at night at DCL, he’d study in his father’s office which was next to mine and his twins would play on the floor in my office,” Duggan told Fox 2 Detroit.
Duggan said his connection to Kilpatrick is “very personal.”
“He has a lot to contribute and if, in fact, the reports [of his early release] are true, I’ll be doing anything I can to help him get a fresh start,” the mayor said.
It’s True. When America Catches a Cold, Black America Gets Pneumonia
Just as 9/11 defined the new millennium, the novel coronavirus will certainly be the story of the decade.
The global pandemic has caused a devastating public health crisis, initiated a global economic disaster, and in the United States, pulled back the curtain on the deep-rooted racial inequities that persist. Just as COVID-19 is a deadly virus, so is the disease of racism, particularly systemic racism.
We now have data to support what many of us already knew, when America catches a cold, black America gets pneumonia. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that the coronavirus discriminates. It certainly does not. But the conditions that allow the disease to flourish have a 400-year history rooted in racism—inadequate housing, over-policed neighborhoods, limited access to fresh foods, uninsured or under-insured health needs, poor-quality schools, and low-wage (aka essential) jobs.
Essential workers are the people who make the world go around. For this writing, I’m not speaking of our front line healthcare workers (although we are truly indebted to their service and tireless and heroic efforts), but the other folks who work in designated essential roles. They are the people we take for granted until we can’t. They are the people who fight on the “front lines” and don’t have the option to shelter in place. They are the folks who work public transportation, process meat, ring up and bag groceries, make and serve our breakfast sandwiches, pick up our trash, sanitize and clean our offices, and the private security staff. They are the people for whom Dr. Martin Luther King marched and died.
The data is clear, African Americans are dying from the coronavirus at higher rates than other populations. As more data and anecdotal evidence became available and published it simply confirmed what I expected, black folks continue to get the short end of the stick. From the story of a young woman in New York who died from the virus because she couldn’t get tested, to the young man who was brutalized by the police in New York for not wearing a face mask, to the security guard who was shot for asking a patron to put on a face mask.
The real story is what are we going to finally do about these inequities. When are we going to correct these wrongs? When are we going to ensure that work pays, especially for essential workers? When will we create a healthcare system that focuses on wellness, where physicians determine treatment, not insurance companies? When will our school systems be accepting of ALL children, have high expectations of ALL children, and teach all of them to succeed, not simply teach them to pass a test? When will the water in Flint’s majority African American community be as safe to drink as the water in Bloomfield Hills? And when will an African American man be able to jog through his community without fearing for his life?
Martin Luther King Jr. was wholly focused on the issues of poverty and labor before his assassination in 1968, 52 years ago. “With patient and firm determination we will press on until every valley of despair is exalted to new peaks of hope, until every mountain of pride and irrationality is made low by the leveling process of humility and compassion; until the rough places of injustice are transformed into a smooth plane of equality of opportunity; and until the crooked places of prejudice are transformed by the straightening process of bright-eyed wisdom.”
Fifty-two years later we ask, how long is until?
If this pandemic has not demonstrated the inequities that drive our system of capitalism and that none of us will be well until all of us are well, I’m not sure what it will take for us to get it. Black America has suffered the brunt of the ills of our society for far too long. Let us not waste this crisis. Let’s stop talking about equity and just do it!
This is an opinion piece that does not necessarily reflect the views of BLACK ENTERPRISE.
HOT 97, WBLS, and Food Bank for New York City Donate Over 225,000 Meals to Those in Need
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the world, putting the most vulnerable communities at risk for infection and economic hardship.
According to a poll published by The New York Times, 49% of New York City residents are concerned about how they will afford food during the pandemic. As a result, the number of people turning to the Food Bank For New York City’s emergency food network has increased by 50%. To help provide meals for New Yorkers in need, WQHT-FM HOT 97 and its sister-station, WBLS-FM 107.5, teamed up with the Food Bank For New York City to provide 225,000 meals to the hungry.
Last month, the organization launched two GoFundMe campaigns with the goal of raising funds to support 200,000 meals in total, reported NY1. However, the initiatives surpassed the goal.
“To see everyone come together and support in such an authentic way was really special. People want to help each other. We’re lucky to be able to make it happen,” said HOT 97 radio personality Ebro Darden in a statement. In addition, Grace Foods, the Caribbean’s leading food manufacturer and distributor, also donated 1600 lbs of food.
(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Food Bank For New York City)
“The WBLS listening family really rallied around this! We proclaimed it to be Food Bank Friday, got the word out on-air that we were close to the goal, and the donations came pouring in,” said longtime WBLS radio personality Shaila.
“We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from HOT 97 and WBLS, who rallied their listeners and supporters to ensure that our fellow New Yorkers have food on their tables,” said Dr. Camesha Grant, the Vice President, Community Connections & Reach. “Thanks to your support, Food Bank For New York City will be able to provide meals to many families in need through these very difficult times.”
Since the pandemic began, Food Bank says it distributed nearly 12.5 million meals throughout the state. The org has also partnered with the NYC Health + Hospitals network to provide food and emergency grocery bags for more than 30,000 healthcare workers
What Pandemic? Billionaires Are Getting Richer During COVID While the Economy and Labor Force Tank
In spite of the global COVID-19 crisis, which has put 38.6 million Americans out of work and upended entire industries, the wealthiest people in the country are thriving.
According to a new report by Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the nation’s 623 billionaires saw their net worth increase by $434 billion in the first two months of the pandemic thanks in large part to tax cuts and loopholes. As a result, while much of the country was locked down, the wealth of the billionaire class grew 15% from $2.9 trillion to $3.4 trillion between March 19 to May 19.
The five richest billionaires — Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, investor Warren Buffett, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison – had the biggest gains, with a 19% jump or a total increase of $75.5 billion. Tech magnate Elon Musk, however, had the largest percentage gain during the two months, seeing his net worth jump by 48% to $36 billion. Zuckerberg came in second as his net worth surged by 46%, giving him an added $80 billion. Bezos gained $34.6 billion, bringing his fortune to $147 billion.
On the other end of the spectrum, hip hop’s first billionaire Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, gained just 4.2% of wealth during that time, while Kanye West reached the billionaire benchmark in April. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey saw an increase of 5.6% and black billionaire David Stewart, the founder of World Wide Technology, saw a 0.5% jump in his net worth. The two other African American billionaires, philanthropist Robert F. Smith and Michael Jordan, either didn’t gain at all or saw their wealth take a slight hit, respectively.
The report comes as the economy and labor force continue to grapple with the worst economic crisis in recent history. Low-income workers and particularly those of color have been hit hardest over the last two months. Forbes reports that 40% of people earning less than $40,000 annually back in February have since lost their jobs.
The “Millionaires Giveaway”
Decades of tax cuts for the rich have fueled the growth of billionaires and their wealth, according to the ATF and IPS. The left-leaning think tanks argue that the wealthy received its most recent tax handout in the CARES pandemic relief law, which gives an average tax cut of $1.6 million this year to 43,000 millionaires and billionaires. ATF and IPS say that closing this loophole, which the orgs dub the “millionaires giveaway,” would raise $246 billion, which could be used for pandemic relief.
“While millions risk their lives and livelihoods as first responders and front line workers, these billionaires benefit from an economy and tax system that is wired to funnel wealth to the top,” said Chuck Collins, director of the IPS Program on Inequality, in a press release.
The wealth gap between the 1% and the rest of the country was already immense before the coronavirus began to wreak havoc on the U.S. economy. Forbes reports:
In addition to job losses, an estimated 16 million U.S. workers have likely lost employer-provided health insurance since the pandemic first began to impact America. Those with considerable wealth have benefited from the stock market’s recovery, after an initial crash in the early stages of the pandemic, rallying on promises of assistance from the Federal Reserve. Ultimately, the global economy, in a worst-case scenario, could take an $80 trillion hit, according to a recent study.
“The pandemic has revealed the deadly consequences of America’s yawning wealth gap, and billionaires are the glaring symbol of that economic inequality,” said ATF executive director Frank Clemente in the report. “Post-pandemic, the rich and corporations must begin to pay their fair share of taxes so we can build a society that works for everyone, not just billionaires and others at the top.”
How Travel Startup Tastemakers Africa Is Still Connecting Us to the Continent Even While We Can’t Travel
What do you do when you’re the founder of a travel tech startup whose mission is to connect blacks all around the world to the Continent when a global pandemic cancels flights, closes borders, and brings tourism to a complete halt?
If you’re Cherae Robinson, founder of Tastemakers Africa, you take a moment to breathe and then you get back to doing what you do best—bringing people together, even if that now means virtually.
Black Enterprise caught up with Robinson, whose company usually offers a marketplace of 200 travel experiences across three countries in Africa, about how she has pivoted to protect both her company’s mission and its bottom line.
When did you realize what kind of impact coronavirus was going to have on the business?
Literally the day I’m about to send our first offer letter for our post raise hire, they start shutting down borders. I get on the phone with Erik Blachford, former CEO of Expedia, and Jamie Wong, who is on our board, and was the founder of a company called Vayable. And they’re like, Cherae, it’s a wrap, nobody’s going anywhere for like at least 18 months. But I still didn’t realize how big it was.
I think the moment where it really hit the fan for me was on a phone call with my fellow travel entrepreneurs who had gone through Booking.com’s accelerator. I’m on the call with maybe 40 other travel tech startups from all around the world. And I remember in the first 10 minutes some people just being like this business is over. And other people being like, we have plans for no revenue for the next 12 months. That was when I was like, oh, this is not a blip, this is a fundamental shift. And then it was like, well, what are we going to do?
So what did you do?
I just kind of took a breath. I made a decision to be a consumer again, because when you’re building a business, you’re always thinking about the business. So I made a decision that I would take a pause. I was like I’m not going to figure this out in a day, probably not even in a week, but let me just give this some space. And so I literally did nothing—for a couple of days I didn’t really speak to anybody, I didn’t open my email, I didn’t post on our Instagram. I just was like, I’m going to do what I would be doing if I was Cherae, not the founder. I was using Instagram as just a person who likes pictures. I was finding stuff on Twitter because I thought it was funny. I decided to just be a person and not be a person that has to figure this out.
And I was reminded about why I started this business in the first place. Travel was one way I could solve this problem of people in the diaspora and on the continent being disconnected, but it wasn’t the only solution. And that need was still prevalent even when we can’t physically travel.
I started sitting with that and thinking about other things that I’ve done. At the end of the day, I know how to connect people, and Tastemaker’s mission is to do so with the intention of closing the gap. We just came out of Year of Return and I already felt like we needed to be having a conversation about what’s next. So I decided that an event that we had done in D.C. just a couple weeks before COVID really hit the fan in the U.S. could be done virtually. And that was my first of step into figuring out what’s next.
And that is the series of virtual conferences you’ve been doing—the next one is May 24th—called The Thread.
My belief is that our blackness, or root in Africa, is a thread that links every person of African descent all around the world. And that it is the strongest thing that ties our communities, our struggles, and our triumphs together, and it is the thing we should be leaning into, not just now but especially now.
So The Thread is a conference that brings together a multi-disciplinary set of voices to have conversations that move us forward. Too often, you’ll see like a Africa business conference, and they’re speaking about this connection in a very financial term, or you’ll have a bunch of artists collaborate. Those conversations usually don’t happen in one place. You don’t have a bunch of different people from a bunch of different perspectives having a conversation about how we use this thread to the best of our advantage. That’s the dynamism that I see in us coming together as a diaspora. So The Thread is the home for that. It’s a place to have a set of conversations that really address the multitude of things that are opportunities for us.
I’ve been able to raise capital from African investors on the continent and from investors in Silicon Valley and New York. There are so many gems that I’ve experienced being able to be in both of these ecosystems. It applies to almost every industry, and not just in Africa and the U.S., but also between Afro descendant populations all around the world. I’ve had the distinct vantage point of spending time in Colombia with Afro descendants, and living in Mexico, and spending a bunch of time with black people in Europe. I found that a lot of my ideas, innovation, strength, comes from that exposure. So at the conference we expose people to a dynamic set of ideas on who and how we get to be as black people.
And from a business perspective, it’s also opened other sources of revenue for you.
It did become a revenue driver in the second edition, but it also opened up the opportunity for us to launch a membership. The Thread as a convening space really proved to us that people were always coming to us for more than travel, but we were only giving them one way to engage with us. Seeing how many people ask in the comments “how do we stay connected?” we realized that launching a membership was the logical next step.
The membership is a combination of virtual and in real life experiences that connect the continent and the diaspora in super meaningful ways. It’s a networking opportunity with other high powered, high energy people who are committed to this connection to the continent. But it’s also a way for people to experience this, both in their home cities, and eventually when we can travel again. It really is taking the notion of The Thread and putting it into something where people can build community that powers their connection to the continent.
University of California to Eliminate ACT and SAT Test Requirements Until 2024
As millions of students adapted to school closures and remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis, many are curious about the future of higher education. Questions like, will young people have the desire to want to return to campus in the fall? Will trade schools become more of an attractive alternative after high school? And, what are colleges and universities going to do to attract students? As academic leaders try to find solutions, the University of California system announced that they will suspend ACT and SAT testing requirements for admission through 2024.
On Thursday, The New York Times reported that the University of California voted to eliminate required standardized testing for its 10 school system. Among the 10 schools are some of the most competitive universities in the nation to get accepted into which include the University of California Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles.
In response to school closures, a number of schools like Cornell and Harvard decided to waive SAT and ACT test scores for the 2021 academic school year. In a statement released on Cornell’s website, the university’s undergraduate admission team wrote, “The SARS-COV-2 pandemic emergency has led to many SAT and ACT administration cancellations. Due to this extraordinary circumstance, students seeking to enroll at Cornell University beginning in August 2021 can submit their applications without including the results from ACT or SAT exams. This will be true for both the Early Decision and Regular Decision rounds of review.”
For now, Cornell does not have plans to adopt a permanent test-optional admission policy.
In April, the College Board decided to cancel testing due to the global pandemic. In a statement released to The New York Times, a College Board spokesperson said the organization understands the flexibility universities are offering students. “As many colleges are considering temporary shifts to test-flexible and test-optional admissions policies due to the coronavirus, it is important that they help students understand how these changes will impact admission, access to specialized programs, and scholarships.”
Now, the question stands, does the absence of standardized testing equate to access?
With test scores being waived at top universities, dialogue about inclusion and students from disadvantaged backgrounds having more access to higher ed than before is being sparked.
While standardized testing is available to all students, there is a history of students from low-income households not being able to afford test prep materials and the test if they do not qualify for fee-waivers.
The suspension of tests could open a new door of possibilities for students who might not otherwise had the option to apply for their dream school or a big named university. Nevertheless, questions about affordability, inclusion, and college readiness for those who seek admission to these colleges and universities that have made this allowance still remain. Before schools reopen for the fall there are a number of key factors that are still being figured out at the top as students weigh their options.
Beyoncé, the Obamas, and Lady Gaga to Deliver Commencement Speeches at the Biggest Virtual Graduation Ceremony Yet
Last week, former President Barack Obama headlined JP Morgan Chase’s #ShowMeYourWalk commencement ceremony for HBCU students, which was hosted by Kevin Hart and included appearances by Steve Harvey, Doug E. Fresh, and NBA All-Star Chris Paul. Meanwhile, back in April, Oprah Winfrey delivered the featured commencement address at #Graduation 2020: Facebook and Instagram Celebrate the Class of 2020, which also featured Jennifer Garner, Lil Nas X, and Simone Biles. However, YouTube is closing out graduation season with what appears to be the grandest virtual commencement ceremony of the year. It will even have Beyoncé!
YouTube’s “Dear Class of 2020″ will be the only commencement of the season featuring speeches from both President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as well as Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The online event will also feature addresses from megastars like Lady Gaga and BTS. In addition, a number of world-class leaders, athletes, and celebrities will make appearances, including CEO of Alphabet and Google Sundar Pichai, Misty Copeland, Kevin Durant, Bill and Melinda Gates, Alicia Keys, Sec. Condoleezza Rice, Kelly Rowland, Yara Shahidi, Michael Strahan, Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington, and Ciara and Russell Wilson.
Throughout the YouTube Originals special, graduates will enjoy musical performances from artists like Camila Cabello, Chloe X Halle, and Lizzo. To top it all, the commencement will be followed by a grad night party hosted by YouTube Music, featuring performances by Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. The event will kick off with content from Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative.
“In ‘Dear Class of 2020,’ people from around the world will join the class of 2020 as a singular community to celebrate their resilience, and the endless possibilities of their future,” reads a statement from YouTube.
“Dear Class of 2020” will air on Saturday, June 6 on YouTube and the Learn@Home site, starting at 3 p.m. ET and noon P.T.
This Brand Consultant Bet On Herself and Started a Premium Dog Treats Company
Barbara Clarke Ruiz has spent the last two decades traveling back and forth from her home in New Jersey to employers and clients as far away as France, Italy, and Germany to help them build their brands. Three years ago, she started a different adventure, as an entrepreneur, when she started making premium dog treats.
She and her husband, Jose Ruiz, co-founded Lick You Silly pet products, all-natural chicken- and beef-based treats made in the USA.
“I grew up with dogs. I love, love dogs. I’ve never not had a dog in my life,” says Clarke Ruiz, who had two Yorkies—Pepper and Chili—before Pepper passed away the January before last.
The dog treats are sold through the company’s website and at about 21 smaller retailers, but the bulk of the business comes from Amazon, where Lick You Silly is an Amazon Choice product.
As with many food products, the coronavirus pandemic has had a positive impact on the business. “We probably increased our business by 300%,” she says.
“The pandemic is horrible, but I’m happy to have been in a position to provide people a product that they can feel confident about giving their dogs and helping their dogs to find a little comfort.”
Lick You Silly gift bag
BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Clarke Ruiz to talk about how she turned her passion into a profitable business.
What made you start a dog treats company?
I started Lick You Silly just from a need that I saw in the market. I had started to cook food for my dogs because they were starting to get older, and whenever I gave my dog a treat, they would throw it up. I started doing a lot of research, really educating myself around dog treats and foods and companies, and what potential competition there would be. I wanted to create an all-natural premium dog treat, something that I didn’t have to worry about a whole lot of added ingredients. I wanted a product that didn’t have hormones, synthetics, gluten. We don’t have any kind of chemicals or synthetics, it’s just a great grade of USDA meat that we produce here in the U.S. We’ve also just introduced the peanut butter treat because there’s a lot of people who are now vegetarian and they don’t eat meat, and they don’t give their dogs meat.
In addition to retail, and working with dog groomers, how else are you getting your products out there?
I’m always trying to think about creative ways to increase our business. One of my favorite hotels is a Kimpton. So I called up a Kimpton in the city; they had just announced that they were doing some special amenities for dogs and I followed up with that. It took quite some time for me to be able to get into these hotels. But I created packaging specifically for them. I had to create some unique items that only the hotels would carry so it would be special. I ended up doing a mini comic book about Yum Yum, which is our dog character on the bag, a dog’s perception of what it would be like to go to a hotel for the first time. Venus Williams’ dog wrote the foreword in the book, and my daughter, who was an animation major, animated the whole book. It’s really cute and funny. And we are now the pet amenity for eight Kimpton hotels.
It’s also important to you that the company stands for something more than a premium product.
We wanted to build a different kind of a dog treat company. And just based on my experience with brand building, I knew it had to be a great story and it had to make a difference. So we have various initiatives that we do with people and their pets. I woke up one morning and said. “I’m going to do a commercial.” So I went on my town’s Facebook page, we have a dog Facebook page—that’s how many dogs live in this town—and I said who’s interested in helping me do a commercial; however number of volunteers I get, I will donate a bag of dog treats to the Montclair [New Jersey] shelter. We want to use dogs to get their humans to do some good in the world. We have an initiative that we’re implementing now called Lick Silly With Kindness. I put a card randomly inside a bag of our dog treats and when you get it, you win a free 4-oz. bag of our treats. But we’re asking you in exchange to do a random act of kindness.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, you spent your career building other people’s brands.
For the last 20 years I have been working as an activewear design consultant. I’ve worked with a lot of world class brands. I’m a designer, so I design their product, I figure out how we’re going to position it in the market, I do research, I do fabric development, packaging, working with marketing, social media—I do all of that as a profession. I’ve done that with companies like Adidas and Nike and New Balance and Asics. I was Walmart’s design director for the activewear division. I also had the grand pleasure of working alongside Venus Williams when she started her brand Eleven by Venus Williams. I just love starting new brands. I don’t even think twice when it’s a good idea. I’m probably the opposite of a lot of people: They have an idea but don’t know how to get it out and I’m like, “I do.”
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs sitting on their own ideas for products?
This wasn’t something that I had planned. I just woke up one day and said, “I want to start a dog treat company.” And you just do it. You connect with people who can help you to implement those dreams. Don’t give up on those journeys. Now is a great time to follow through with things that you’ve been thinking about, that have been on the back burner, and that you didn’t have time to do. Now you’ve got the time to do it. So I would encourage anyone out there that has a dream or a passion that they’ve been putting on the back burner to move it to the front burner and figure out how to do it. Reach out to me, I’m happy to help.
Trump Says U.S. Will Not Close Country If Second Coronavirus Outbreak Happens
President Donald Trump, who acknowledged there could be a second wave of the coronavirus epidemic later this year, stated he wouldn’t let a second outbreak stop the economy.
“People say that’s a very distinct possibility,” Trump told reporters in Michigan Thursday. “It’s standard. And, we’re going put out the fires. We’re not going to close the country.”
According to Fox News, the president’s comments came as he toured the Ford Motor Co. plant outside of Detroit that is now making ventilators.
Conservative radio host Buck Sexton said Trump told him the same during a White House interview Wednesday.
“We will not do a lockdown for the second wave that is likely to come in the winter,” Trump said on Sexton’s show.
The president’s visit to Michigan was only the third time he’s left the White House since the pandemic began. The trip also comes at a time where Trump has battled Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer on several fronts.
On Wednesday, Trump said he would withhold federal funds from Michigan because the state sent absentee ballots to its 7.7 million voters. In April, Trump emboldened protesters who stormed the Michigan state capital in an armed, anti-quarantine protest of Whitmer closing the state.
The president also made the visit as a Fox News poll shows him behind Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Trump’s reelection advisors are increasingly worried about how the president is viewed in the state as his attacks on Whitmer have been viewed unfavorably in the state.
Trump planned to use the U.S. economy, which was thriving before the coronavirus pandemic hit U.S. shores in February, as a significant part of his reelection bid. However, with unemployment numbers rising everyday and more than 100,000 dead due to the virus Trump will have to change his strategy.
