President Donald Trump said during the press briefing for the Coronavirus Task Force on Monday that “this country was not built to be shutdown.”
“We will get through this challenge. The hardship will end. It will end soon. Normal life will return and our economy will rebound very strongly,” he said. “But right now in the midst of this trial, Americans must remain united and focused on victory.”
“To every single American, please know the sacrifice you’re making at this time is saving lives.”
The president’s remarks clearly signal he is trying to strike a balance between the competing data from economic and medical experts. While “Stop the Spread” called for a nearly two-week pause, a growing chorus of economists are warning about the longterm economic damage the shutdown will cause.
“America will open again and soon be back in business. Very soon, a lot sooner than people thought,” the president said. “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem, itself.”
“At the end of the 15-day period, we’re going to make a decision on which way we want to go, where we want to go. Essentially the opening of our country.”
