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President Trump signed executive measures for pandemic relief as stimulus talks stalled. Tens of thousands of motorcyclists gathered in Sturgis, S.D., despite objections from residents.
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Brazil has reached two coronavirus milestones: more than 100,000 deaths and more than three million cases.
While politicians wrangled over a pandemic relief package and schools struggled over whether to open their doors to students, the United States passed another milestone on Saturday: more than five million known coronavirus infections.
No other country has reported as many cases. Brazil ranks second, with more than three million, and India is third with two million. (In cases per capita, the United States ranks eighth, between Oman and Peru.)
The data, from a New York Times database, is based on reports of known cases from federal, state and local officials. Public health experts have warned that the actual number of people infected is far greater.
Cases are trending upward in seven states, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and decreasing in 17, according to The Times database. In the past week, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida had the most new cases relative to population.
The United States reported its millionth case on April 28, more than three months after the first reported case. The country passed two million cases on June 10, three million on July 7 and four million on July 23.
The United States now tests roughly 720,000 people a day, according to data from the Covid Tracking Project.
The number of new coronavirus cases daily peaked on July 16, with 75,697. It has been slowly tapering off since then, to a seven-day average of around 54,000 per day.
At least 161,000 people have died since the pandemic began. The seven-day average daily death toll is hovering around 1,000. That is down from a peak of more than 2,200 on a single day in mid-April, when bigger cities like New York and Seattle were hit the hardest. (The most deadly single day was April 15, with 2,752.)
But the seven-day average daily death toll is now significantly higher than it was in early July, when it was around 500. Cases have surged since then — particularly in the Sun Belt states and in communities where officials moved quickly to reopen. Many of the places with the most cases per capita have been smaller cities and rural communities in the South and the Midwest.
transcript
“I am providing a payroll tax holiday to Americans earning less than $100,000 per year. In a few moments I will sign a directive instructing the Treasury Department to allow employers to defer payment of the employee portion of certain payroll taxes.” “Second I’m signing an executive order directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development, H.H.S. and C.D.C. to make sure renters and homeowners can stay in their homes.” “I’m taking action to provide an additional, or an extra, $400 per week in expanded benefits. Earlier this year we slashed student loans interest rates to 0% and suspended student loan payments, and Congress extended that policy through September 30. Today I’m extending this policy through the end of the year and will extend it further than that, most likely.” “Mr. President, though, this is expected to be tied up in the courts, so this relief is going to be delayed or blocked.” “Oh I don’t think so I think there’s going to go very rapidly through the courts. But this will go very — if we get sued. Maybe we won’t get sued. If we get sued, it’s somebody that doesn’t want people to get money. OK? And that’s going to be a very popular thing.” [crosstalk] “… trying to go around Congress, are you trying to set a new precedent that the president can go around Congress and decide how many —” [speaking over reporter] “The word obstruction, They’ve obstructed. Congress has obstructed. The Democrats have obstructed people from getting desperately needed money. Go ahead, please. Right here.” [Crosstalk] “No, now you’re finished. Go ahead” [crosstalk] [cheering] “Veteran’s choice was passed in 2014—” [crosstalk] “— but it was a false statement, sir.” “OK, thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.” [Cheering]
President Trump took executive action on Saturday to circumvent Congress and try to extend an array of federal pandemic relief, resorting to a legally dubious set of edicts whose impact was unclear, as negotiations over an economic recovery package appeared on the brink of collapse.
It was not clear what authority Mr. Trump had to act on his own on the measures or what immediate effect, if any, they would have, given that Congress controls federal spending. But his decision to sign the measures — billed as a federal eviction ban, a payroll tax suspension, and relief for student borrowers and the unemployed — reflected the failure of two weeks of talks between White House officials and top congressional Democrats to strike a deal on a broad relief plan as crucial benefits have expired with no resolution in sight.
Mr. Trump’s move also illustrated the heightened concern of a president staring down re-election in the middle of a historic recession and a pandemic, and determined to show voters that he was doing something to address the crises. But despite Mr. Trump’s assertions on Saturday that his actions “will take care of this entire situation,” the orders also leave a number of critical bipartisan funding proposals unaddressed, including providing assistance to small businesses, billions of dollars to schools ahead of the new school year, aid to states and cities and a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans.
“Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have chosen to hold this vital assistance hostage,” Mr. Trump said, savaging the two top Democrats during a news conference at his private golf club in New Jersey, his second in two days. A few dozen club guests were in attendance, and the president appeared to revel in their laughter at his jokes denouncing his political rivals.
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