Trump told testing is key to reopening during business panel call
In the first phone call convened between President Donald Trump and some members of his newly formed business council, industry leaders reiterated to the President what public health experts and governors have been telling him for weeks: that there would need to be guarantees of ramped-up coronavirus testing before people return to work, according to one person briefed on the discussions.
Posted — UpdatedThe call, one of a series with various sectors on Wednesday, was the first task force teleconference aimed at devising a strategy for reopening the country. The call lasted for about an hour and had dozens of participants from the banking, food, hospitality and retail sectors, many of whom lauded the President and his administration for their efforts to combat coronavirus and jump-start the economy, this person said.
Many of Trump's conservative allies have encouraged him to listen to advice from business leaders, hoping their recommendations on reopening parts of the country will counterbalance the advice of public health experts such as Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, who convinced Trump to extend social distancing guidelines by another month at the start of April.
Those allies are convinced that internal discussions on the coronavirus task force, and the information it provides the President, are overly weighted toward models and worst-case public health scenarios. They had hoped another panel inside the White House focused on the economic effects of the pandemic might lend equilibrium.
Some of Trump's advisers also hoped having the imprimatur of American industry on White House decision-making might lend credibility -- and cover -- to whatever decision Trump announces on how and when to recommend reopening certain portions of the country, which some fear could lead to new outbreaks if rushed out too quickly.
It was particularly challenging for some of the bank CEOs to join the calls. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Citi CEO Michael Corbat couldn't make it because their banks hosted earning calls around the same time as the White House call.
"Who is organizing a call with banking executives in the middle of earnings week?" said another one of the sources.
Even after the calls, confusion remained as to what the White House wanted from the CEOs.
"There was no specific ask from Trump and no clarity on what's next -- how the groups work," said one of the people who was briefed after the 10 a.m. ET call.
The discussion was very surface-level, said the person who added that Trump spoke about the importance of testing and enhanced cleaning.
At least one of the executives who dialed into a call said the phone line didn't work.
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