Trump is refusing to declare a national emergency on the coronavirus until after his son in law Jared Kushner, has finished researching the subject.
At the White House, some of Trump’s closest aides have debated whether an emergency declaration is needed to ensure those resources are available. But they have yet to make a recommendation to Trump, according to two the people familiar with the situation.
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Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is pushing for the designation. But Vice President Mike Pence, who Trump tapped to lead the administration’s coronavirus response, is wary it could trigger an economic tailspin, they added.
There’s no deadline for a decision, but one of the people familiar with the talks said the task force will not give Trump its final verdict until Jared Kushner, the president’s senior adviser, and son-in-law, finishes his research and comes to a conclusion himself.
There should be zero debate. A national emergency should have already been declared. States need the funds to combat the spread of the virus in local communities, but Trump is more worried about political optics and his reelection campaign than taking steps that could save American lives.
Donald Trump is revealing his weak-minded feebleness by waiting for his son-in-law to finish Googling so that he can be told what to do.
A declaration of emergency is not a political stunt. It is an administrative tool that, if declared, has real power to help provide states and communities with the immediate resources that they need.
The health of potentially millions of Americans is in the hands of Jared Kushner and his “research.” Trump’s mishandling of the coronavirus is getting to the point of being nearly criminal. A pandemic is raging across the country, and Trump is sitting on his hands while waiting for his son-in-law.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
