Politics
Trump Makes Crucial 2020 Bet on States Reopening With His Advice
- States risk virus rebound as they lift social distancing
- Trump approval slumps as U.S. infections pass 1 million
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President Donald Trump is facing a turning point in his bid for re-election, betting that a handful of Southern and Midwestern states can reopen their economies without triggering an even deeper public health crisis.
If it works out, Trump can claim he was right all along about quickly lifting stay-at-home restrictions that are damaging the economy. If it doesn’t and coronavirus cases spike, pollsters and political analysts say it’s Trump who will bear the blame -- even after he tried to shield himself from fallout by putting governors in charge of the most critical decisions.