Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said on Tuesday it was "very critical" that individuals who have recently traveled from the New York metro area self-quarantine for 14 days to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Why it matters: "We don't want that to be another seeding point to the rest of the country," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at the coronavirus task force briefing on Tuesday.
Most Americans approve of President Trump's handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak, and his overall approval rating has risen from 44% to 49% during the crisis, according to a Gallup poll.
Background: Trump has received criticism in the media, as well as from officials in Washington, D.C., and around the country, for downplaying the threat of the virus and for not taking stronger action to make tests available and ramp up production of necessary medical supplies.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Tuesday that the first detainee has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Why it matters: Immigration advocates have been pushing for the release of at-risk detainees to halt COVID-19's spread in their confined facilities. There are currently 17,785 immigrants in ICE custody with no pending criminal charges or convictions.
2020 Democratic front-runner Joe Biden harshly criticized President Trump's suggestion on Tuesday that social distancing restrictions should be lifted by Easter, saying on CNN that the president should "stop talking and start listening to the medical experts."
Why it matters: Trump has been warned by his close advisers that the economy can’t sustain a shutdown for much longer, and he's weighing lifting restrictions in certain zip codes after the expiration of the White House's "15 Days to Slow the Spread" initiative. Health experts warn that this could lead to a drastic increase in coronavirus cases.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNBC's Jim Cramer Tuesday that there is "real optimism" that a coronavirus stimulus deal could come together "in the next few hours."
Driving the news: One "big change" in the negotiations that Pelosi highlighted was the fact that Senate Republicans and the Trump administration agreed to House Democrats' oversight language for the $500 billion fund designed to help impacted industries.
President Trump egged on by a growing number of advisers and business leaders, believes the economy will crater absent a strong signal, and wants to stagger the reopening of work nationwide, people who’ve spoken to him tell Axios.
Behind the scenes: Trump has been hearing from lots of people in the business community and conservative media telling him the economy can't survive this shutdown much longer. The sources say that "horrific," "truly scary" economic consequences were described to Trump.
In just four days, General Motors fast-tracked a plan to help a stretched medical device company build 200,000 badly needed ventilators to treat coronavirus patients.
Why it matters: It's not only a symbol of GM's significant industrial might 11 years after a government-brokered bankruptcy. It also shows how President Trump is squeezing American businesses to act.
Lobbyists are racing to grab a piece of a federal stimulus package that could top $2 trillion.
The big picture: Every industry, company and niche group affected by the virus, including some that have never lobbied before, is jockeying to get federal funding and approval for pet projects — making federal lobbying one of the few boom industries right now.
Nine in 10 Americans are now concerned about the coronavirus, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index — with half worried about their jobs and their ability to pay the bills.
Why it matters: The second installment of our weekly survey shows sudden, massive changes to how we work, shop, socialize and care for ourselves and our families. The numbers also reflect an overwhelming sentiment that things are getting worse.
Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) was hit with a federal lawsuit Monday over his sell-off of shares before the market crashed over concerns about the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Details: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts shareholder Alan Jacobson alleges "acts of securities fraud committed by [Burr]" and "abuse of his powers as a U.S. Senator" when he sold his $150,000 stake in the business. Burr strongly denies any wrongdoing and asked the Senate Ethics Committee Friday to review the sell-offs.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said on Fox News Monday night that "lots of" grandparents would be willing to die in order to save the economy for their grandchildren.
What they're saying: "No one reached out to me and said, as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren? And if that's the exchange, I'm all in," Patrick said on air.
