Trump says protesters demanding end to coronavirus lockdowns have 'cabin fever'

(Image credit: Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

published 20 April 2020

President Trump on Sunday said that people who are calling on state governments to lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders have "cabin fever" and "want their life back."

There have been protests in some cities, with demonstrators shouting that they should be able to go back to work despite coronavirus continuing to spread across the country. Trump was asked by a reporter about a series of tweets he wrote on Friday, including one stating, "LIBERATE Virginia, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!"

Trump denied that he was inciting violence, and said protesters "learned a lot during this period. They learned to do things differently than they have in the past and they'll do it hopefully until the virus has passed." At some protests, only a few dozen people showed up, and many remained in their cars. Still, Trump said he had "never seen so many American flags at a rally as I've seen at these rallies. These people love our country. They want to get back to work."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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