And the Darwin Award for Stupidity goes to.....

Trump cheers states 'safely coming back'

The president's social media post comes after the governors of Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee said they would roll back coronavirus-related restrictions.

By QUINT FORGEY

President Donald Trump on Wednesday applauded certain states for taking steps in recent days to begin reopening their economies, as the mostly Republican governors who have slackened coronavirus mitigation measures have faced criticism from local leaders and public health experts.

"States are safely coming back. Our Country is starting to OPEN FOR BUSINESS again," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Special care is, and always will be, given to our beloved seniors (except me!). Their lives will be better than ever...WE LOVE YOU ALL!"

The president's social media post comes after Govs. Brian Kemp of Georgia, Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Bill Lee of Tennessee said Monday they would roll back restrictions meant to curb the disease's spread in their respective states. But those announcements were met with resistance from some mayors who still favor more stringent orders limiting residents' movements.

Meanwhile, a few clusters of states have entered into pacts to facilitate regional economic reopenings — including a Northeastern alliance made up of Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, as well as a West Coast coalition comprised of California, Oregon and Washington.

Although federal social-distancing guidance remains in effect until the end of the month, Trump last Thursday unveiled a series of general guidelines for a phased reopening of the economy.

According to those recommendations, states and localities should confirm a two-week downward trend in coronavirus symptoms and documented cases before easing lockdowns, and are also advised to assure adequate hospital capacity and a robust testing operation.

Trump's eagerness to restart the flagging economy has been amplified over the past week by conservative demonstrations in capital cities against state-issued stay-at-home orders. Last Friday, he tweeted an apparent encouragement of the protesters, urging them to "LIBERATE" Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia — all states led by Democratic governors.