Trump Doubles Down On Georgia Re-Opening: ‘I’m Not Happy About Brian Kemp’

In a White House briefing, President Trump reiterated that he disagreed with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to re-open the state on Friday, April 24.

“I went to [Dr.] Deborah [Birx[ and Dr. Fauci and other people and they weren’t thrilled about it,” Trump said about Kemp’s plan to re-opne. “And I told him very distinctly, ‘You do what you think is best,'” Trump said, “But if you ask me if I’m happy about it, I’m not happy about it and I’m not happy about Brian Kemp.”

The new comments came one day after Trump strongly said that he is not in favor of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to re-open the state on Friday, April 24.

Trump said that, “I didn’t like to see spas opening … and I could have done something about it if I wanted to, but I said, ‘Let the governors handle it.”

“I want the people to be safe. I want t he people of Georgia to be safe,” Trump said.

Reports on social media said that Trump called Kemp the day before and expressed support for the re-opening date, but that’s not how it played on camera.

Kemp, who is a Republican like Trump, has shunned criticism of his plan to open tattoo parlors, salons and bowling alleys. But this is the first time that Trump has publicly criticized a GOP governor during the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump Says He’s Not In Favor Of Georgia Re-Opening April 24

Trump told reporters that it was “too soon” for Georgia to open up the businesses that Kemp has chosen to lead the re-opening.

“I disagree … strongly,” Trump said, “with his decision to open certain facilities, which are in violation of the Phase 1 guidelines.”

His comments came the same day as new projections indicated that Georgia wouldn’t be ready to re-open until at least June 5.

Still, Trump showed limited support for Kemp’s rationale for re-opening Georgia, but added a caveat.

“But at the same time, he must do what he thinks is right,” Trump said, adding that he will step in if he thinks it’s something that is “egregious.”

Georgia is one of several states hit hardest with COVID-19 cases in the pandemic.

Kemp moved to re-open the state despite Georgia having nearly 19,000 coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, deaths attributed to Covid-19 surpassed 700+ deaths statewide, according to health officials.

Meanwhile, Georgia mayors, including Atlanta’s Keisha Lance Bottoms, say the state’s local level is not ready to re-open due to the health concerns involved.

More: Atlanta Mayor Says She Got This Racist Message About Re-Opening

“For as much as all of us would like to get back to some semblance of normalcy, we can’t do it now. We don’t know what our rates are in Georgia,” she told MSNBC.

Speaking to CNN, Lance Bottoms said “We really are at a loss, and I am concerned as a mother and as the mayor of our capital city.”