Trump Reverses Course on Disbanding Coronavirus Task Force: It Will Continue ‘Indefinitely’

President Donald Trump has done a complete about face on the Coronavirus task force. On Wednesday, Trump said the body would continue ‘indefinitely’, despite saying on Tuesday that it would be wound up. The change follows significant backlash.

“The White House CoronaVirus Task Force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future,” Trump tweeted.

The White House CoronaVirus Task Force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future. Ventilators, which were few & in bad shape, are now being….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

“The last four Governors teleconference calls have been conclusively strong. Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN,” Trump went on.

Yesterday, during a visit to an Arizona mask production facility, Trump confirmed reports that the task force was to be disbanded and the focus shifted to reopening the economy.

“[W]e’re now looking at a little bit of a different form and that form is safety and opening and we’ll have a different group probably set up for that,” Trump said.

“We can’t keep our country closed for the next five years.”