WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he wants the U.S. economy to open back up in about three weeks, even as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb in the country.
"We're opening up this incredible country. Because we have to do that. I would love to have it open by Easter," Trump said in a Fox News virtual town hall event at the White House.
Easter falls on April 12 this year.
In a tweet earlier in the day, the U.S. president said "our people want to return to work" and "they will practice social distancing and all else, and seniors will be watched over protectively and lovingly."
"We can do two things together," Trump said. "The cure cannot be worse (by far) than the problem!"
Trump's remarks came as more and more state and local officials have shut down nonessential businesses and ordered residents to stay home, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Tim Duy, a professor with the University of Oregon, said "the sudden stop of the U.S. economy is sending unemployment soaring" and that initial claims for unemployment may exceed 2 million this week.
A recession in the United States is now all but certain, according to a recent survey of 34 economists by The Wall Street Journal, which projects a downturn that would last months at least and would in some ways rival the severity of the global financial crisis in 2008.
The president's remarks have drawn backlash. Jennifer Rubin, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, commented on Twitter that "someone is getting severe pushback" for putting money over people.
The United States has reported more than 50,000 confirmed cases as of Tuesday afternoon, ranking third worldwide, behind China and Italy, according to a data tracking tool developed by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. The death toll exceeds 600.
To cushion the COVID-19 economic impact, lawmakers have been negotiating a trillion-dollar-plus stimulus package, but the bill failed to advance in the Senate on Sunday night and again on Monday afternoon.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democratic, however, told CNBC on Tuesday morning that there was "real optimism" that an agreement would be reached in the next few hours.
Earlier in the day, Trump also pressed lawmakers to reach an agreement on the stimulus package.
"Congress must approve the deal, without all of the nonsense, today. The longer it takes, the harder it will be to start up our economy. Our workers will be hurt!" Trump tweeted.
