Trump eager to restart economy by May as he weighs 'toughest' decision of his presidency

WASHINGTON 

— With his hoped-for Easter timeline having come and gone, President Donald Trump now appears more determined than he has ever been to open up the economy with a "big bang" early next month, according to multiple people familiar with the decision-making process.

As the U.S. leads the world in COVID-19 cases and deaths, aides are cautioning the president about too quickly lifting national social distancing guidelines, now set to expire April 30. An internal debate continues about how best to reopen certain sections of the country at the end of the month, these people said.

"I think we are all expecting or planning for May 1," said a senior administration official, cautioning that major new outbreaks in cities could change the thinking and that no final determination has been made.

Despite the president's determination, it isn't solely in his control. The decision will likely fall to state and local officials, and members of the public will decide when they feel confident to return to work.

"Reopening is both an economic and a public health question," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday, "and I'm unwilling to divorce the two. You can't ask the people of this state or this country to choose between lives lost and dollars gained."

Over the weekend, the president said he would weigh multiple factors to arrive at the "toughest" decision of his administration to date. Trump signaled that he has consulted his top health professionals, business leaders and others whom he described as "smart people" in recent days. The ultimate call "will be based on a lot of facts and instincts," he said. In a Fox News phone interview Saturday, Trump said he would come to a conclusion "fairly soon."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the administration is envisioning what he described as a "rolling re-entry."

"It is not going to be a light switch" for the nation as a whole once restrictions are eased. "Not one size fits all," he emphasized Sunday on CNN.

Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, wouldn't endorse a specific date for the end of the countrywide guidelines, saying on NBC News' "Meet the Press": "I think we're looking at all these targets. If it can be May 1, that would be great for the American people."

Some industries may be advised to reopen, while others will remain closed, according to senior administration officials, with one comparing the economic approach more to a "dimmer" than an on-off switch.

Officials are exploring different ways to figure out what parts of the country might be equipped to open first and how to pinpoint where the risk of an emerging cluster might be, particularly in the absence of widespread testing for the virus itself or antibodies to it.

But Trump seemed to telegraph his eagerness to restart much of the U.S. in a tweet Sunday evening, urging governors to perfect their testing abilities and to "be ready, big things are happening. No excuses!"

Trump has said he would like to reopen the country with a "big bang."