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National

The White House coronavirus task force had its biggest fight yet on Saturday, pitting economic adviser Peter Navarro against infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci. At issue: How enthusiastically should the White House tout the prospects of an antimalarial drug to fight COVID-19?

Behind the scenes: This drama erupted into an epic Situation Room showdown. Trump's coronavirus task force gathered in the White House Situation Room on Saturday at about 1:30pm, according to four sources familiar with the conversation. Vice President Mike Pence sat at the head of the table.

Numerous government officials were at the table, including Fauci, coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx, Jared Kushner, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, and Commissioner of Food and Drugs Stephen Hahn.

Behind them sat staff, including Peter Navarro, tapped by Trump to compel private companies to meet the government's coronavirus needs under the Defense Production Act.

Toward the end of the meeting, Hahn began a discussion of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which Trump believes could be a "game-changer" against the coronavirus.

Hahn gave an update about the drug and what he was seeing in different trials and real-world results.

Then Navarro got up. He brought over a stack of folders and dropped them on the table. People started passing them around. 

"And the first words out of his mouth are that the studies that he's seen, I believe they're mostly overseas, show 'clear therapeutic efficacy,'" said a source familiar with the conversation. "Those are the exact words out of his mouth."

Navarro's comments set off a heated exchange about how the Trump administration and the president ought to talk about the malaria drug, which Fauci and other public health officials stress is unproven to combat COVID-19.

Fauci pushed back against Navarro, saying that there was only anecdotal evidence that hydroxychloroquine works against the coronavirus.

Researchers have said studies out of France and China are inadequate because they did not include control groups.

Fauci and others have said much more data is needed to prove that hydroxychloroquine is effective against the coronavirus.

As part of his role, Navarro has been trying to source hydroxychloroquine from around the world. He's also been trying to ensure that there are enough domestic production capabilities inside the U.S.

Fauci's mention of anecdotal evidence "just set Peter off," said one of the sources. Navarro pointed to the pile of folders on the desk, which included printouts of studies on hydroxychloroquine from around the world.

Navarro said to Fauci, "That's science, not anecdote," said another of the sources.

Navarro started raising his voice, and at one point accused Fauci of objecting to Trump's travel restrictions, saying, "You were the one who early on objected to the travel restrictions with China," saying that travel restrictions don't work. (Navarro was one of the earliest to push the China travel ban.)

Fauci looked confused, according to a source in the room. After Trump imposed the travel restrictions, Fauci has publicly praised the president's restriction on travel from China.

Pence was trying to moderate the heated discussion. "It was pretty clear that everyone was just trying to get Peter to sit down and stop being so confrontational," said one of the sources.

Eventually, Kushner turned to Navarro and said, "Peter, take yes for an answer," because most everyone agreed, by that time, it was important to surge the supply of the drug to hot zones.

The principals agreed that the administration's public stance should be that the decision to use the drug is between doctors and patients.

Trump ended up announcing at his press conference that he had 29 million doses of hydroxychloroquine in the Strategic National Stockpile.

Between the lines: "There has never been a confrontation in the task force meetings like the one yesterday," said a source familiar with the argument. "People speak up and there's robust debate, but there's never been a confrontation. Yesterday was the first confrontation."

In response to a request for comment on Axios' reporting, Katie Miller, a spokesperson for the vice president, said: "We don't comment on meetings in the Situation Room."

The bottom line: The way to discuss the drug's potential has become a fraught issue within the Trump administration. 

Most members of the task force support a cautious approach to discussing the drug until it's proven.

Navarro, on the other hand, is convinced based on his reading that the drug works against the coronavirus and speaks about it enthusiastically. 

Some of Trump's favorite TV hosts, including Fox's Sean Hannity, and friends including Rudy Giuliani, have also been touting the malaria drug for the coronavirus. Trump has made no secret who he sides with.

"What do you have to lose? Take it," the president said in a White House briefing on Saturday. "I really think they should take it. But it's their choice. And it's their doctor's choice or the doctors in the hospital. But hydroxychloroquine. Try it, if you'd like."

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Scoop: Inside the epic White House fight over hydroxychloroquine

The drama pitted economic adviser Peter Navarro against infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci.

The White House coronavirus task force in the briefing room

Politics

Inside the White House

Health Care

Coronavirus

The U.S. health system faces critical questions about cost, access and equity. Technological advances and new discoveries about diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are transforming patient care and reshaping public health.

Health

Here's an under-the-radar side effect of the coronavirus pandemic: It might spare President Trump from having to release his tax returns before the election.

Why it matters: The Supreme Court was supposed to hear arguments last month over whether House Democrats had the legal authority to subpoena Trump's financial records.

Those subpoenas were delivered to Trump's banks and accounting firms, not Trump himself. If the court ultimately rules that they were legal, the banks would likely have to turn over the relevant records almost immediately.

Those arguments had been scheduled for March 31 — which, on the court's usual timeline, would most likely set up a ruling in the last few days of June.

But the court postponed some of its March arguments as the coronavirus lockdown began, and on Friday it postponed all oral arguments for the rest of the term.

What happens next is unclear. The court said it would "consider" rescheduling some of these postponed arguments for later this term, if circumstances allow, and would "consider a range of scheduling options and other alternatives" if the court building isn't available.

The other option, though, and maybe the logistically easiest one for the tech-averse Supreme Court, would be to simply push this term's arguments into the next term, which doesn't start until October.

Either way, the case on Trump's taxes was in line to be one of the last big rulings on the court's calendar before the election. And so these delays create at least some possibility that it could slide until after Election Day.

How the coronavirus could shield Trump's tax returns

The Supreme Court was supposed to hear arguments over a House subpoena last month.

The Supreme Court canceled all oral arguments through early April due to COVID-19. Photo: Ting Shen/Xinhua via Getty Images

Trump tax returns

Donald Trump

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

A Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to statements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the New York City zoo.

Why it matters: It's the first known animal to test positive for the virus in the United States. The tiger is believed to have contracted the virus from an asymptomatic zookeeper.

"Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, has tested positive for COVID-19. She, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions had developed a dry cough and all are expected to recover.

This positive COVID-19 test for the tiger was confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, based in Ames, Iowa.

We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus."

The big picture: The Bronx Zoo closed to the public in mid-March, and the tiger that tested positive began showing symptoms on March 27. Both the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring the situation and say they will work to support the zoo and animal health care workers.

The USDA stressed that this is the "first case of its kind" and that "further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19."

The agency said that "anyone sick with COVID-19 should restrict contact with animals, out of an abundance of caution including pets, during their illness, just as they would with other people."

Go deeper: The USDA answered FAQs about the tiger case on its website

Tiger at Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus

It's the first known animal to test positive for the virus in the United States.

A Malayan tiger cub in its enclosure at the Bronx Zoo on April 27, 2017. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Science

News and analysis of the scientific advances fueling AI and quantum computing, revolutionizing biology and medicine, and tackling climate change. Science is changing the world and colliding with the global politics that shape it.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to the hospital for tests as a "precautionary step" as his coronavirus symptoms have continued to persist 10 days after testing positive, according to a Downing Street spokesperson.

Why it matters: Johnson was the first major elected leader to test positive for the coronavirus. He was admitted to the hospital on the same day that Queen Elizabeth II gave a rare televised address to the nation, urging the British people to confront the pandemic with the same "self-discipline" and "resolve" that has defined the country in times of crisis.

A spokesperson said this was not an "emergency admission" and that Johnson remains in charge of the government. His ongoing coronavirus symptoms include a fever.

"On the advice of his doctor, the Prime Minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests.

This is a precautionary step, as the Prime Minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus ten days after testing positive for the virus.

The Prime Minister thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible hard work and urges the public to continue to follow the Government’s advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."

The big picture: The U.K. is currently the site of the eighth-worst coronavirus outbreak in the world, with more than 48,000 confirmed cases and 4,900 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Johnson ordered a nationwide lockdown on March 23 and has been working from self-isolation since testing positive for the virus on March 27.

Boris Johnson admitted to hospital as coronavirus symptoms persist

A spokesperson called it a "precautionary step."

Photo: Ray Tang/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

World

Boris Johnson

Conflicts, policies and powers are intersecting and shaping the world. Breaking news and analysis of national security, foreign policy and global crises.

Cnn Newsroom With Fredricka Whitfield-3 01 11 Pm - 3 05 20 Pm-2020-04-05

In a rare televised address on Sunday, Queen Elizabeth II urged the United Kingdom to respond to the coronavirus pandemic with the "self-discipline" and "resolve" that have defined the British people in moments of crisis.

Why it matters: It's just the fifth time that the queen, who traditionally speaks to the nation once a year on Christmas Day, has addressed the British people in this way during her 68-year reign.

Her only other addresses came during the Gulf War in 1991, the night before Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002, and on the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne in 2012, per the BBC.

"I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any. That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humored resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterize this country."

"While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavor, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed — and that success will belong to every one of us."

"We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again."

Between the lines: The queen's speech was coated with implicit and explicit references to World War II, including the line, "We will meet again" — a reference to a 1939 song by singer Vera Lynn that became a wartime anthem and a symbol to the British people.

The big picture: The U.K. is under nationwide lockdown, and strict measures have been imposed to protect the 94-year-old queen from the outbreak.

Her public schedule has been canceled, and she's been evacuated from Buckingham Palace.

Her eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince Charles, has tested positive for the virus, as has Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

Queen Elizabeth addresses U.K. amid coronavirus crisis: "We will meet again"

It's just the fifth time that the queen has addressed the British people in this way.

Queen Elizabeth II

Am Joy-11 17 15 Am - 11 19 30 Am-2020-04-05

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press conference on Sunday that New York is struggling to maintain medical supplies while combatting the novel coronavirus — operating "literally" on a "day-to-day" basis. 

Why it matters: New York City has become an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, facing mass quarantines and stay-at-home orders. Cuomo said Saturday that New York reported 630 new deaths in 24 hours — an "all-time increase" that beat the previous day's record of 562 deaths.

On Sunday, however, the number of reported deaths dropped to 594 — a rare drop that Cuomo cautioned could just be a "blip."

The federal government is deploying 1,000 medical personnel to New York to help fight the outbreak.

Medical supplies including ventilators and personal protective equipment are in short supply nationwide as the health care system grapples with the overwhelming influx of COVID-19 patients. 

"I can't say to a hospital, 'I will send you all the supplies you need. I will send you all the ventilators you need.' We don't have them. ... It's not an exercise, it's not a drill. It's just a statement of reality. You're going to have to shift and deploy resources to different locations based on the need of that location."

Between the lines: Cuomo also noted that calls to release supplies from the federal stockpile won't be sufficient in tackling cases in some of the hardest hit states. Many officials are hoping supplies from the stockpile can help alleviate shortages.

"There's not enough in the federal stockpile to take care of New York, and Illinois, and Texas, and Florida, and California — it's not an option."

The big picture: This upcoming week is predicted to be the worst America has seen since the pandemic's start. U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Sunday that this upcoming week will be "the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans' lives" — calling it our "our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment."

Cuomo says New York is "literally going day-to-day with our supplies"

And he doesn't think the federal stockpile could change that.

Andrew Cuomo

State Of The Union With Jake Tapper-9 37 10 Am - 9 38 34 Am-2020-04-05

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that President Trump's comments about the federal government's stockpile of medical equipment suggest he "does not understand the word 'federal.'"

Illinois governor: "The president does not understand the word 'federal'"

"Individual states can't possibly do what the federal government can do."

Axios

Sunday's top stories

Scoop: Inside the epic White House fight over hydroxychloroquine

How the coronavirus could shield Trump's tax returns

Tiger at Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus

Boris Johnson admitted to hospital as coronavirus symptoms persist

Queen Elizabeth addresses U.K. amid coronavirus crisis: "We will meet again"

Cuomo says New York is "literally going day-to-day with our supplies"

Illinois governor: "The president does not understand the word 'federal'"

Surgeon general: This week will be "Pearl Harbor" or "9/11 moment" in U.S.

Biden says he'll follow CDC mask guidance: "Listen to the Faucis of the world"

Louisiana governor says state will run out of ventilators on April 9

Trump sees "sooner rather than later" return of pro sports

Pope Francis delivers Palm Sunday sermon to empty St. Peter’s Basilica

Virus vices take a toll on Americans

In photos: U.S. lockdown life