Trump to set up new advisory council to recommend on reopening America

By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 11 (PTI) US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would soon set up a new advisory council of doctors and businessmen to recommend when to open America, whose economy has come to a grinding halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 95 percent of the country's 330 million population are under stay-at-home order as part of the measures to protect people from catching infection.

The entire tourism and travel industry has come to a standstill, with more than 17 million people having been laid off.

Trump said the new task force will deal with more than the economy.

It will deal with Opening Our Country on all aspects, he said.

"We're also setting up a council of very, very great doctors and business people," he said, adding the group's focus would be "beyond economy".

The president said the members of the new council would be bipartisan in nature and diverse in terms of geography.

According to some media reports, the council, among others, might comprise Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, his new Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his daughter and senior presidential advisor Ivanka Trump.

He said he wants to start up the economy as soon as possible.

"I want to get (the economy) open as soon as we can. We have to get our country open," he said.

"This country was meant to be open and vibrant and great," he added.

During his daily White House news conference on coronavirus, Trump said he will be announcing creation of an advisory council of doctors and businessmen to recommend when to try to reopen the country.

He said he will confer by teleconference to avoid perils of travel. Details of the new task force will be made next week. The current White House Task Force on Coronavirus is headed by Vice President Mike Pence.

Responding to questions, Trump said the economy will bounce back strongly during the next few quarters.

There's something good going to happen. I really believe that. There's something very good going to happen. We have to get back, he asserted.