Task Force Convinced Trump to Change Tune on Georgia Reopening

President Donald Trump’s change in attitude toward Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen businesses was due to an intervention from members of the coronavirus task force, CNN reports.

At a meeting before Wednesday’s coronavirus task force briefing, task force members were discussing the odds of reporters asking doctors on the panel about Kemp’s reopening plan, a source told CNN. 

During that meeting, Dr. Anthony Fauci and others on the task force said there would be a glaring inconsistency if the scientists were not in agreement with Trump on the Georgia issue during the press conference.  

“I cannot defend this publicly,” Fauci said during the meeting, according to the source. Members of the group agreed they needed to try to change Trump’s mind on the topic. 

The source said they left the convincing to Dr. Deborah Birx. She had a private meeting with the president before the news conference where Trump said he disagreed with Kemp’s decision.

Gov. Kemp announced he plans to reopen businesses including spas, beauty salons and tattoo parlors this month. 

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