According to the president, Kemp’s suggestion does not adhere to the phase 1 guideline that was announced by the White House last week. The guidelines urge states to not lift social distancing restrictions until there's widespread testing and the level of community transmission reduces.
Nevertheless, Trump said Kemp has the right to make his decision as a governor and he respects it. Kemp announced Monday that public places including bowling alleys, movie theaters, barbershops, spas, and tattoo parlors can reopen this week, provided they do not violate guidelines including physical distancing orders.
At a White House press conference, Trump said it would make more sense to wait until the country enters phase 2 before reopening businesses. Admitting that he does not agree with Kemp, the president noted that he respected him and will let him make his decision, saying he would never do that.
White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has already warned about the consequences of reopening the economy too soon. Dr. Fauci said the coronavirus will spring back if governors and local officials rush to reopen the state businesses too, and advised Kemp to not reopen the state.
Dr. Fauci advised the governor to be careful and not just turn the switch and go because this could lead to a rebound. He appealed the American public, the governors, and the mayors and urged them not to adopt the leapfrogging strategy, but rather do it in a measured way.
Urging Americans to wait for phase 1 to get over before stepping outside their homes, Dr. Fauci said the country could risk a massive rebound if it rushes to reopen too soon. Follow Trump and Dr. Fauci's remarks, Kemp responded to the president on Twitter, saying he appreciates Trump's feedback and the White House guidelines to safely move states forward, but noted that his decision is backed by data and guided by public health officials.
During a daily briefing of the Coronavirus Task Force at the White House, Trump admitted that he wants states to reopen more than Kemp does, but it is still too early to move forward with the decision to allow businesses to reopen. The POTUS said he was neither happy with the decision nor with Brian Kemp.
The president backed Kemp's move initially, but lashed out at the Republican governor at Wednesday’s briefing over his decision to reopening businesses such as hair salons and tattoo parlors, New York Post reported. Trump spoke with Kemp over a phone call a day earlier in a bid to express his views but was infuriated when a reported asked if Kemp was ignoring his advice.