Alex Hider
Fox 17Fri, 22 May 2020 18:27 UTC
© krisanapong detraphiphat via Getty Images
President Donald Trump held a previously unscheduled press briefing at the White House on Friday to unveil Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on reopening places of worship, classifying them as "essential."
Trump called on governors to open all places of worship "right now, this weekend." He added that if state governors chose to keep places of worship closed, he would "override them."Earlier this week, the
CDC released guidance on reopening child care centers, schools, restaurants, mass transit systems and other businesses. Churches were not part of that guidance.
The CDC's release came as all states had already begun the process of
reopening their economies.Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that top Trump administration officials had shelved documents that offered advice on reopening the country, saying that the recommendations wouldn't "see the light of day."
Comment: This move by Trump could have been in response to the
announcement that thousands of churches across the country would be reopening in defiance of each state's governor's orders to remain closed despite restaurants, bars, casinos, and tattoo parlors being allowed to reopen. As Trump so aptly put it:
"These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united," Trump announced at the White House on Friday, adding that it's "not right" that some states have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but mandated that houses of worship remain closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Comment: This move by Trump could have been in response to the announcement that thousands of churches across the country would be reopening in defiance of each state's governor's orders to remain closed despite restaurants, bars, casinos, and tattoo parlors being allowed to reopen. As Trump so aptly put it: