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Trump's aides debate a new virus approach as President claims it will 'disappear
A divide has emerged inside President Donald Trump's inner circle over whether he should turn his attention back to the coronavirus pandemic or continue to focus on reopening the economy, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.
As cases surge in dozens of states, Trump has remained mostly silent on the matter, focusing instead on protecting statues and stoking racial and cultural divisions. While others in his administration -- including Vice President Mike Pence -- make appeals for Americans to continue socially distancing and wear masks, Trump again suggested Wednesday the virus would "disappear."
That has led to concerns, even among some of his own aides, that Trump appears disengaged from a deadly crisis that continues to grip the nation.
Several of Trump's top aides, including chief of staff Mark Meadows and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have begun to worry about the President's chances to win reelection, advisers familiar with the matter said -- fears borne out by a steady stream of public polls showing Trump trailing his election rival, Joe Biden, by double digits. Both Meadows and Kushner have urged a focus on the economy over the public health emergency.
Some of Trump's political advisers believe he has suffered grave political damage due to the pandemic, which has caused widespread economic hurt and death. Even as Trump and others in the White House project optimism that the economy will surge closer to the election, Trump's handling of the pandemic has drawn rebukes -- particularly as cases begin to spike.
"There is a fair amount of concern," one adviser said, describing the President as "frustrated" by recent polling indicating Biden could win the November election by a wide margin.
"There is a lot of frustration," another Trump adviser said about how the President and those around him view his reelection prospects.
But the adviser said many around the President concede that Trump is often his own worst enemy.
Yet despite the clear signs of trouble, Trump and his aides appear split over whether the President should spend more time and energy in confronting the pandemic.
Trump himself suggested in an interview Wednesday the virus may take care of itself.
Reported by: Jim Acosta, Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak
Source: https://us.cnn.com/2020/07/01/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-response/index.html
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