Pelosi slams Trump for bad Covid-19 decisions, says he's 'like the man who refuses to ask for directions'
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged President Donald J. Trump on Thursday to move forward with the coronavirus response Democrats have proposed to reopen schools and business so that struggling Americans can have an economic lifeline. The California Democrat tore into Trump and Republicans in her weekly news conference, saying they haven't followed guidelines laid out by scientists for a safe re-opening of the country. She acknowledged that it would require a large investment.
"The president has made so many bad executive decisions," Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill. "Observing his behavior, I have concluded that he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions. All of the answers are there. The scientists have the answers."
"Testing, tracing, treating, distancing, masking, sanitation can stop the spread of this virus," she said. "Yet the president continues to go down the wrong path, and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us."
The House Speaker wants the president to invoke the Defense Production Act so that U.S. manufacturers can produce more testing kits, personal protective gear, et cetera to help schools reopen in the fall. While Trump has pushed for schools to reopen, local officials are reportedly facing resistance from teachers unions to go back to work "without proper safety measures and scarce funding to make improvements," Fox News reported.
"Mr. President, admit it. You've gone down the wrong path. Ask for directions. Ask for directions from our scientists who know better. They knew better," Pelosi continued. "We urge the president and the GOP Senate to get on it, and help the American people, help our state and local governments."
Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans are still trying to reach a deal to pass another round of COVID-19 relief aid that would facilitate the reopening of schools.
On May 15, House Democrats passed a staggering $3 trillion relief package "that included $915 billion in state and local aid that could prevent layoffs of public workers, like first responders and teachers; a new $200 billion 'heroes' fund for hazard pay for essential workers; $100 billion for K-12 and higher education and $75 billion for coronavirus testing," according to the outlet. If approved, the bill would provide $1,200 for each American citizen and $6,000 to each household. The GOP dismissed the legislation at the time, saying it was too costly and unnecessary. However, both Senate Republicans and the White House have since hinted they would approve further spending as coronavirus cases continue to spike and millions file for unemployment each week.
House Speaker Pelosi continued to attack Trump and Republicans on Thursday. "This is such a massive dereliction of duty," she said. "People are dying. And so what we are saying to the Senate, join us in asking the president to use executive action for good instead of ill as he has done, and pass the heroes act."
She also criticized Trump's rollback of environmental regulations and declared he doesn't believe in governance or science.
"I yearn for other Republican presidents," Pelosi said. "While we may have disagreed on many points. At least we had a shared commitment to the governance of our country."