‘Opening Up America Again’ - what is Trump’s plan?
US president announces three-phase plan to ease coronavirus restrictions

Donald Trump has announced a three-phase plan aimed at helping the US return to normal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The US president said the guidelines - known as “Opening Up America Again” - are designed to ease restrictions in areas with low transmission of the virus.
Revealing the plan, Trump said “America wants to be open and Americans want to be open. A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The plan has three phases to reopen state economies, with each phase lasting at least 14 days.
Phase one retains much of the current lockdown measures such as avoiding non-essential travel, explains the BBC, but allows large venues such as restaurants and sports venues to operate “under strict physical distancing protocols”.
Phase two allows non-essential travel to resume with schools reopening and bars operating “with diminished standing-room occupancy”. In phase three, states can allow “public interactions” with physical distancing and the unrestricted staffing of worksites. Bars can increase their standing room capacity.
The new guidelines are not mandatory and many governors have already extended restrictions into May. Indeed, in what CNN describes as a “retreat” from his recent claim of “absolute authority” to restart the economy, the president told governors it was their decision on when and how to reopen.
“You are going to call your own shots,” Trump said during a call with governors. “I've gotten to know almost all of you, most of you I've known and some very well. You are all very capable people, I think in all cases, very capable people. And you're going to be calling your shots.”
The Guardian says that Trump’s plan “is still full of unanswered questions,” pointing out that the plan “neglects to mention a firm target date or give an explicit strategy for national testing”.
The US has 654,301 confirmed cases and 32,186 deaths due to the virus. A new poll suggests that Trump’s approval rating has slipped 6% over the past month. The same poll found just 30% of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Zohran Mamdani: the young progressive likely to be New York City's next mayor
In The Spotlight The policies and experience that led to his meteoric rise
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Will NATO countries meet their new spending goal?
today's big question The cost of keeping Trump happy
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Bibi's back: what will Netanyahu do next?
Today's Big Question Riding high after a series of military victories, Israel's PM could push for peace in Gaza – or secure his own position with snap election
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
The ambiguous legal state of ectopic pregnancy care
The Explainer Rep. Kat Cammack's accusations of 'fearmongering' are the latest example of how mixed messages are complicating the debate around abortion