President Trump on Saturday said some governors have gotten carried away with the lockdown orders they’ve signed off on in response to the coronavirus outbreak, as some states try to chart a path forward toward reopening parts of their economy next month.
“I just think that some of the governors have gotten carried away,” Mr. Trump said at the White House.
He said he’s getting along nicely with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but said the restrictions in Michigan that have prompted protests this week might have gone too far.
“Don’t buy paint. Don’t buy roses… she’s got all these crazy things,” he said. “Some of them are being unreasonable, I really believe that.”
He also once again mentioned Virginia, which along with Michigan will be a crucial battleground state in the 2020 election.
“When you look at Virginia… they want to take your guns away — they want to violate your Second Amendment,” the president said.
Last Friday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law a number of gun control measures, including legislation to reinstate the commonwealth’s “one-handgun-a-month” rule and legislation that expands gun-purchase background checks.
“That’s not even politics — we’re entitled to a Second Amendment,” Mr. Trump said.
“To me, that’s liberty — when I say liberate Virginia, I would say liberate Virginia when that kind of thing happens,” he said.
The president on Friday had tweeted that Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia should “liberate” amid various stay-at-home orders.
The White House on Thursday had unveiled a series of benchmarks and steps for states to take when they craft plans to roll back some of their social distancing measures and restart their economies when it’s safe to do so.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump mentioned Texas, Vermont, Montana, Ohio, and North Dakota as among states that are planning to reopen some businesses in the near term or are in the midst of crafting plans to do so.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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