Trump acknowledges 'it's possible' some people will die when coronavirus restrictions are lifted

(Image credit: Screenshot/ABC News)

President Trump has admitted there may be some devastating consequences to reopening businesses before the COVID-19 threat has cleared.

ABC News' David Muir sat down with Trump on Tuesday — at a distance — and asked him about Dr. Anthony Fauci's concerns that "death" and "suffering" will coincide with any attempts to reopen businesses. "Do you believe ... lives will be lost to reopen the country?" Muir asked. "It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house," Trump responded, saying those effects will hopefully be mitigated with continued "social distancing" and "washing hands." "We have to get our country back. You know, people are dying the other way too," Trump continued, citing "drugs" and "suicides."

Trump similarly acknowledged people will be "affected badly" when speaking to reporters in Arizona on Tuesday, but maintained "we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon."

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.