Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday defended President Donald Trump after NBC’s Chuck Todd implicated the president of ” trying to weaken” his own coronavirus guidelines by motivating demonstrations of some states’ stay-at-home orders.
In a series of tweets Friday, Trump tweeted all-caps calls to “LIBERATE” Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia– 3 swing states led by Democratic governors– in an echo of protesters’ demands. A day previously, Trump had laid out a three-phase set of standards for relieving the social distancing constraints in some locations over a period of numerous weeks.
” All three states have actually provided standards that follow the nationwide recommendations that you have been offering them,” Todd informed Pence. “They are following the president’s standards to the finest of their capability.
Pence responded that “nobody wishes to resume America more than” Trump.
” We have to ensure that the remedy isn’t worse than the disease,” he said, duplicating a talking point often used by Trump. “The fact is that there are real costs, consisting of the health and wellness of the American individuals, to continue to go through the shutdown that we remain in today.”
SEE: Why is President Trump attempting to weaken guidance for states on social distancing with tweets about “liberating” Minnesota and Michigan? #MTP #IfItsSunday @VP: “The president has actually made it clear– he wishes to reopen America.” pic.twitter.com/ s39 u5tQPzI
— Satisfy the Press (@MeetThePress) April 19, 2020
Todd continued to press the vice president, asking why Trump is “trying to undermine” the White House’s own recommendations.
The president’s made it clear, he wants to reopen America.
However t