The United States is still struggling with the coronavirus along with the rest of the world, with officials making sure every measure to slow down the spread and flatten the curve is made. However, in the latest White House press conference, President Donald Trump claimed that he has total authority to lift the nationwide lockdown period.
BBC reports that the latest White House briefing turned into a heated argument between Trump and the press. Trump announced that his administration was in the final stages of presenting a plan to reopen the United States economy with the goal of implementing the plan on May 1st. Trump, as per health experts, previously announced that the lockdown period was to extend at the end of April although experts have clarified and said that there is no certain date when the pandemic will go away.
The press then asked Trump if he had the authority to override the stay-at-home orders that are imposed by the state governors. Trump responded, “When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total. It’s total, the governors know that.”
According to the U.S. Constitution, state officials are the ones who maintain public order and safety. Legal experts have also doubled down on Trump’s comment, saying that Trump does not have the authority to reverse a public health restriction on a state or local level.
At the same time, when BBC’s Jon Sopel pressed Trump on whether he would consider closing the economy again in case of a second wave of coronavirus hits the country, Trump said, “It does weigh on my mind.”
As Trump has a power struggle with the state governors, he also has another legal matter to settle as of late. Deadline reports that Trump is filing for an appeal to prevent showing unreleased footage from his old show, The Apprentice. This follows the federal judge’s decision that the unseen footage showing the behind the scenes of The Apprentice be made public, and thus rejected Trump’s and MGM’s request to settle the matter privately.
The Trump family and the Trump Organization were previously sued back in 2018 by four individuals who claimed that they were allegedly falsely encouraged people to invest in ACN’s video phone service over the show’s 10-year run. ACN turned out to be how the Trumps got people to endorse their product. Since then, Trump has made several attempts to stop the lawsuit, but the plaintiffs’ main lawyer has continuously rejected the attempts.


Trump's Signature to Appear on U.S. Currency Starting Summer 2025
G7 Foreign Ministers Gather in France Amid Global Tensions and U.S. Policy Uncertainty
God on their side: how the US, Israel and Iran are all using religion to garner support
FEMA Reinstates $1 Billion Disaster Prevention Grant Program After Court Order
Russia-Iran Military Alliance Deepens With Drone Shipments Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Pauses Iran Strikes as Peace Talks Stall Amid Military Buildup
Maduro Faces Rare Narcoterrorism Charges in U.S. Court
CPAC 2026: Republicans Back Trump's Iran Strikes Amid Growing Public Skepticism
U.S. Praises Kurdistan's Role in Oil Markets Amid Iran War Fallout
Jay Bhattacharya to Continue Leading CDC as White House Searches for Permanent Director
Russia Strikes Kharkiv and Izmail as Cross-Border Drone War Escalates
Lavrov Claims U.S. Seeks Control Over Damaged Nord Stream Pipelines
G7 Summit 2026: South Africa Excluded Amid U.S. Pressure, Kenya Invited Instead
SMIC Allegedly Supplies Chipmaking Tools to Iran's Military, U.S. Officials Warn
Chinese Universities with PLA Ties Found Purchasing Restricted U.S. AI Chips Through Super Micro Servers
California Renames Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day Following Sexual Abuse Allegations
WTO Reform Talks Begin in Cameroon Amid Global Trade Tensions 



