President Trump Announces Nationwide Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Spike
On November 17, 2020, US President Donald Trump announced an abrupt nationwide lockdown amid the continuous surge of COVID-19 cases, thereby altering his stance on the fight against the pandemic.
In a surprising White House press conference late Tuesday evening, the President, known for his resistance to lockdown measures, revealed a starkly different approach to combat the virus. This marks a historical shift in his administration’s handling of the pandemic since its onset in early 2020.
“We all have to sacrifice”
President Trump, in his remarks, noted, “The situation is dire, and we’ll be imposing a full national lockdown from tomorrow. We all have to sacrifice, that’s what leaders do. We’ve always put the health of our people first”.
This dramatic change comes at a time when the US is seeing an exponential rise in infection rates, with more than 11 million confirmed cases and about a quarter-million deaths attributed to the virus nationwide.
Critics raise eyebrows
However, critics, including those from the Democratic Party, view this move with skepticism. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in her usual forthrightness, commented, “Discovering science and sensible policy doesn’t deserve applause. We could have saved thousands of lives if we had done this sooner”.
Nevertheless, given the surging infection rates, health experts have lauded the move as a need of the hour. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expressed his support saying, “This lockdown is a necessary, albeit delayed, step towards controlling the spread”.
President Trump signed the executive order late Tuesday night, starting a nationwide lockdown effective immediately. The Trump administration has pledged full support to states and ensures smooth functioning of essential services during this lockdown period.
Despite the obvious pivot in Trump’s approach, the public, weary of contradictory messages, waits with bated breath to see the impact of this decision.
Note: On the actual day of November 17, 2020, President Trump did not impose any nationwide lockdown.
* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.