Well, he came back out today

Alas, it appears that would have been an improvement.

Trump begins by saying "we've just reached agreement, the Secretary of Treasury, Steve Mnuchin, with the major airlines, all of our great airlines, to participate in a payroll support program." He claims the airlines are now "in good shape."

Trump "Through the darkness we can see the rays of light...at the end of that tunnel, we see light...more than ever before." He adds, "Everything we've done, we've been very, very strong on it, and very powerful on it."

Trump thanks Americans for respecting social distancing guidelines. Referring to journalists, he adds, "Even you people."

Trump accuses the WHO of "severely mismanaging and covering up" the coronavirus crisis. He says the US "has a duty to insist on full accountability." He criticizes the WHO for opposing travel restrictions. He touts his own restrictions on China. Trump says he has deep concerns about how the WHO has used "America's generosity."

Trump says "there was credible" information in December to suspect human-to-human transmission. He bashes the WHO for not responding or disclosing appropriately. (Again, he himself continued downplaying the virus into March.)

Trump bashes the WHO for praising China's supposed transparency. "I don't THINK so," he says. Trump himself praised China's supposed transparency.

Donald Trump: "It would have been so easy to be truthful."

!!!!!!

POTUS announces he’s halting WHO funding while a review happens.

Trump is boasting about how many ventilators he says are being produced, "anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 ventilators." He claims he used the Defense Production Act "so powerfully," as a "hammer" in negotiations with companies, that he didn't really have to actually invoke it.

Oh, god.

Trump touts the stock market. "If we weren't doing well," the markets would be lower, he claims. He adds that the country will soon be "booming." Trump is reciting his usual rally boasts about the economy, this time in the past tense.

Trump: "The plans to reopen the country are close to being finalized and we will soon be sharing details and new guidelines with everybody." Trump added that he will be holding governors accountable, and watching them closely, but also working with them.

Trump says he will be "authorizing" each governor to reopen their state at the time of their choosing. This is Trump's way out of his "total authority" nonsense from yesterday -- pretending he is benevolently gifting the governors power they already have.

Trump: You can talk about Constitution, you can talk about federalism, you can talk about whatever you want, but I'm talking about how from a managerial perspective, it's best to let governors manage their own states.

Trump says he's not going to put "any pressure on the governors" to open up. He says some are "ready to go," but the others he won't bother; it'll be opened in "beautiful little pieces."

Trump repeats his claim that other countries, countries you thought were doing well on testing, are actually calling his administration for help. (The usual caveats about Trump phone call stories apply.)

Reminded he said the same things as the WHO about China, Trump says...he did a trade deal with China and would love to have a good relationship with China.

Trump repeats his eternal false claim that the tariffs are being paid by China.

Trump lies that China "paid us nothing in your last administration" or in "any previous administration." In addition to the fact that the tariffs are paid by Americans, it was about $12 billion a year from China tariffs from 2007 to 2016.

Trump says he doesn't like the way this briefing "looks," with the distancing and fewer reporters, although it's okay with him in the other way that there are fewer reporters.

Kaitlan Collins was on him again today...

How many people were begging the guy to keep talking?

In fact, that usually means it's not true.

They might expect him to DO something.

What the....?