WASHINGTON – During a visit to the battleground state of Michigan on Thursday, President Donald Trump blasted Democratic governors who he said have been "very resistant" to lifting stay-at-home orders as the administration continues its aggressive push for states to reopen amid the coronavirus crisis. The president traveled to Ypsilanti to tour a Ford Motor plant making ventilators needed to treat COVID-19 patients, where he insisted the country would rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, which has wrecked the U.S. economy and left millions jobless.
"You have a lot of, unfortunately in this case, Democrat governors, I think they think it's good politics to keep it closed," he told reporters when asked about reopening the economy. "I think they're being forced to open, frankly. The people want to get out. You'll break the country if you don't."
Trump suggested that Democrats were looking ahead to the November election in determining their reopening plans.
"I think they look at it as a possible November question. It's not a November question. It happens to be very bad for them," he said.
Before the president arrived in Michigan on Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she is lifting portions of her stay-at-home orders and reopening more parts of Michigan's economy.
Effective immediately, she said, people across Michigan are allowed to engage in social gatherings of no more than 10 people, which had been restricted, provided they wear face covering if in close spaces and try to maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more when around people they don't live with.
Many retail businesses across the state can reopen Tuesday, but by appointment only for customers. That did not include bars or in-house dining at restaurants.
Trump: 'We don’t want to have vote by mail'
Trump doubled down on a threat to withhold relief funding from Michigan after erroneously accusing the state in a tweet Wednesday morning of preparing to send out absentee ballots to its 7.7 million voters. State officials sent out applications for those who wish to request to vote by mail before its elections in August and November.
The president said voting by mail is "wrought with abuse" but noted that there are exceptions, including if a voter is president or unable to cast a ballot in person because of illness or another reasonable excuse. Trump voted by mail during Florida's primary this year.
“We don’t want to have vote by mail,” Trump said. “Now, if you’re president of the United States and you live in Florida and you’re not able to be there, you should be able to send in a ballot.”
Trump declined to provide details about what funding he threatened to withhold.
In an interview with "CBS This Morning," Whitmer dismissed the president's threat as "ridiculous" and a "distraction."
Form yahoo
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