Trump Team Playing Politics With Coronavirus? Allies Want 'Extremely Pro-Trump' Doctors To Push For Reopening Economy

Many of President Trump's allies are reportedly looking for “extremely pro-Trump” doctors that would voice their support for reopening the economy despite continued coronavirus fears. The idea was floated as part of a conference call on May 11 between a senior staff member of Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign and CNP Action, a Republican political committee.

The conference was leaked to the Associated Press by progressive watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy.

“There is a coalition of doctors who are extremely pro-Trump that have been preparing and coming together for the war ahead in the campaign on health care,” Republican activist Nancy Schulze said on the call. “And we have doctors that are … in the trenches, that are saying ‘It’s time to reopen.’”

“They’ve already been vetted. But they need to be put on the screens.”

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, voiced his support for Schulze’s idea, but warned about the need to be ready for the criticism lumped on Trump.

“The president’s going to get tagged by the fake news media as being irresponsible and not listening to doctors,” Schlapp said. “And so we have to gird his loins with a lot of other people. So I think what Nancy’s talking about … this is the critical juncture that we highlight them.”

The general hope is to try and jumpstart the economy, which has struggled since many businesses shuttered in March. It is reportedly considered a crucial among the coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence, especially with 2020 being an election year. The idea is that a resurgent economy on the heels of the pandemic could help secure Trump the White House for a second term.

“There is a big dynamic in the national media that will not give President Trump any credit,” Schlapp told the Associated Press on Monday. “It’s important to get the message out there that most people recover from corona. Most people are not in mortal danger with corona and that we can safely open up the economy.”

It has also come out that a public relations firm in Washington, D.C., has shared a letter signed by around 400 doctors to the Trump administration pushing to reopen.

“It is impossible to overstate the short, medium, and long-term harm to people’s health with a continued shutdown,” the letter says. “Losing a job is one of life’s most stressful events, and the effect on a person’s health is not lessened because it also has happened to 30 million other people. Keeping schools and universities closed is incalculably detrimental for children, teenagers, and young adults for decades to come.”

As of Wednesday, all 50 states have taken some steps into reopening, though most have chosen act slowly so as not to risk exposing more people to coronavirus. States like New York, California, and Connecticut have chosen to provide a list of criteria that local counties need to meet before they can begin reopening. Other states have nearly reopened completely, with Wisconsin being among the most notable as people were seen flocking to bars over the weekend.

This hasn’t eased concern about a second wave of coronavirus hitting or criticism for the handling of the outbreak. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp have been criticized for not taking enough precautions for their states. There have also been accusations of data tampering in both states to minimize the impact of the coronavirus.

A Florida health official said Tuesday she was concerned about the accuracy of data being reported on the state’s coronavirus “dashboard” under a new team.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of Trump’s coronavirus task force, has been deemed by many as the most cautious medical expert on Trump’s staff. He has regularly warned about the risks reopening too quickly, putting him at odds with other members of the task force. It also resulted in a tense back-and-forth with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., during a Senate hearing on May 12.