Coronavirus steals Trump economic edge
By Max Greenwood and Julia Manchester - 04/18/20 12:13 PM EDT
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President Trump has the money, the bully pulpit and a firm grip on his party as he leans into his reelection race, but he no longer has what was long seen as the greatest strength of his presidency: a strong economy.
With less than 200 days to go before the election, Trump is now running as a president seeking to rebuild an economy that a little more than a month ago was riding along with historically low unemployment.
Since then, about 22 million people have filed unemployment claims, inviting comparisons to the Great Depression.
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It’s one reason why Trump is pressing to open up the economy as quickly as possible. The White House on Thursday offered new guidelines for a three-phased opening, though actual decisions are left to state governors.
“To preserve the health of our citizens we must also preserve the health and functioning of our economy,†Trump said at the unveiling. “A prolonged lockdown combined with a forced economic depression would inflict an immense and wide-ranging toll on public health.â€
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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/493363-coronavirus-steals-trump-economic-edge
