Former White House chief of staff Andrew Card told Newsmax TV on Monday that President Donald Trump should focus on “empowering” governors during the coronavirus crisis, rather than “challenging” them.
Card, while on “Newsmax Now” on Monday, was asked about Trump’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.
“Generally, he’s handled it well,” answered Card, who served as chief of staff to former President George W. Bush from his inauguration until 2006, adding, “I’m disappointed that he’s not empowering the governors. He seems to be challenging the governors, I think he should be empowering them.”
Card said, “These decisions on whether to open or not open are really, primarily the responsibility for the governor to make. They’re out there, on the ground, dealing with the mayors and local elected officials. They understand what’s happening, and I do think they have to pay attention to the signs, the worst thing that could happen [is] they have a rebound of the coronavirus, that would set us back. So, I think caution is more important than running right out to go to the beach and get daily life the way it was. Everything’s changing and the governors I think are the front line, they should ask for what they think they need, be very serious about it, and the president should say, ‘I’ll support you in your efforts.’”
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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