Axios

President Trump said Tuesday it is "possible" that some lives will be lost as states reopen their economies amid the coronavirus pandemic, in an interview with ABC's David Muir.

The big picture: COVID-19 has killed more than 70,500 Americans and infected over 1.1 million in roughly three months since the country's first known death. Over 180,000 Americans have recovered from the virus, and more than 7.1 million tests have been conducted as of Tuesday.

The office of former President Barack Obama privately claimed in March that a Republican request for records related to Joe Biden and Ukraine would "give credence to a Russian disinformation campaign," according to a letter obtained by BuzzFeed News.

Why it matters: President Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate unsubstantiated corruption allegations against Biden and his son fueled his impeachment last year.

Rick Bright, the former director of the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), filed a whistleblower complaint Tuesday alleging that the Department of Health and Human Services failed to take early action to mitigate the threat of the novel coronavirus.

Flashback: Bright said last month he believes he was ousted after clashing with HHS leadership over his attempts to limit the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced at a press briefing on Tuesday that hair salons, barbershops, tanning salons and gyms will be allowed to reopen within the next two weeks.

Why it matters: The announcement comes less than a week after Texas launched its phase one reopening plan, prompting backlash from some Democrats who believe the state is moving too fast to determine whether the reopenings have caused a surge in infections.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Tuesday that the White House is in "preliminary discussions" to wind down its coronavirus task force, possibly in early June.

Why it matters: The task force, led by Pence, was formed in late January to help navigate the Trump administration's interagency response to the pandemic. The New York Times reported earlier Tuesday that it's not clear whether any group will replace the task force, even as the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S. continues to surge.

President Trump said that Washington, D.C., will never become a state because Republicans wouldn't agree to giving Democrats more seats in Congress, in an exclusive interview with the New York Post on Monday.

The big picture: The issue of statehood has been a talking point in D.C. for years, with Republicans generally opposed to the idea. The District currently has a non-voting delegate in the House and no representation in the Senate. If the capital city became a state, it would have one House member and two senators.

Joe Biden is testing a new way of campaigning amid the coronavirus crisis, kicking off "local" virtual events this week in an attempt to re-create traditional campaign stops.

Driving the news: Biden, his wife, Jill, and the campaign's top surrogates will be hosting various virtual events in key battleground states in the coming weeks, starting with Florida and Michigan, a Biden campaign aide tells Axios.

Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama announced Tuesday that they will participate in a set of virtual graduation ceremonies amid the coronavirus crisis.

The state of play: The former president will deliver a nationwide commencement address to high school seniors on May 16 as part of The LeBron James Family Foundation's "Graduate Together," which will be aired by all major networks in primetime. Both Obamas will speak during YouTube's "Dear Class of 2020" event on June 6.

President Trump told reporters Tuesday that he won't let Anthony Fauci testify before the House of Representatives because it's "a setup" with a "bunch of Trump haters."

Driving the news: The White House told the House on Monday that members of the administration's coronavirus task force won't be allowed to testify in May, claiming that it would divert resources from the pandemic response. Trump said Tuesday Fauci will instead be testifying in front of the Senate.

Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), President's Trump nominee for director of national intelligence (DNI), said at his confirmation hearing Tuesday that every government whistleblower should receive "every protection under the law."

Why it matters: As one of Trump's fiercest defenders during the impeachment inquiry, Ratcliffe repeatedly sought to undermine the credibility of the Ukraine whistleblower, claiming without evidence that the complaint was "wrong in numerous respects."

The powerful American Petroleum Institute and GOP senators are attacking big banks’ financial restrictions on Arctic oil drilling — and mulling ways to go beyond just verbal pushback.

What they’re saying: “We don’t think it’s appropriate for banks to discriminate against fossil-fuel communities,” API president Mike Sommers tells Axios.

Governments in Western democracies are being pressured by the news industry to come up with relief plans to support local media companies upended by the coronavirus pandemic — and some have already begun implementing small aid programs.

Why it matters: Most experts agree these efforts are not sustainable in supporting the local media ecosystem long-term.

President Trump lashed out on Twitter early Tuesday morning against the Lincoln Project after the anti-Trump group of Republican operatives released an ad, titled "Mourning in America," directly attacking the president's coronavirus response.

Why it matters: The Lincoln Project, which includes Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway's husband, George Conway, has been attempting to provoke the president with its provocative ad strategies — and it finally succeeded.

America was going through the final stages of a political realignment even before the virus hit. Now, our biggest national crisis since World War II has set off a tectonic shift, transforming the country in ways we couldn't have imagined.

That's the big idea of a new political frame by Doug Sosnik, a former White House political director for President Clinton whose periodic "big thinks" are eagerly awaited by political insiders and activists alike.

Trust in government has now surpassed trust in business in countries around the world, according to new "Trust Barometer" data from Edelman, a global public relations firm.

Why it matters: That confidence has been plummeting for the past several years, but the coronavirus has changed that dynamic, as people fear that businesses don't have the authority or tools needed to properly tackle a pandemic.