May 31, 2019

Trump announces date, location for official 2020 launch

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Donald Trump announced in a tweet on Friday that he will be holding his official 2020 campaign launch at the 20,000 seat Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., on June 18, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence.

Why it matters: While Trump has held rallies throughout his 2016 campaign and continued into his presidency, this launch signals the beginning of his official dive into 2020. Meanwhile, Democrats are already ramping up for primary debates and swarming early battleground states.

Between the lines: Florida, arguably the largest swing state, is a key target for Trump. Launching there could be an indication of increased focus, having only won the state by 48.6% in 2016 to competitor Hillary Clinton's 47.4%.

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Coronavirus dashboard

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Global: Total confirmed cases as of 8 p.m. ET: 1,595,350 — Total deaths: 95,455 — Total recoveries: 353,975 — Map.
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Public health latest: U.S. has expelled thousands of migrants under a CDC public health order — Dr. Anthony Fauci said social distancing could reduce the U.S. death toll to 60,000.
Business latest: The Fed will lend up to $2.3 trillion for businesses, state and city governments — After another 6.6 million jobless claims, here's how to understand the scale of American job decimation.
States latest: FEMA has asked governors to decide if they want testing sites to be under state or federal control.
World latest: Lockdowns have led to a decline in murders in some of the world's most violent countries — Boris Johnson is moved out of the ICU but remains in hospital with coronavirus.
In Congress: Senate in stalemate over additional funding for small business relief program.
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What should I do? Hydroxychloroquine questions answered — Pets, moving and personal health — Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
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