Donald Trump initially wanted to reopen the U.S. economy on Easter, but with that “beautiful” timeline scuttled amid serious public health concerns, the president entered the holiday weekend trying to nail down a new date for what he called Friday “the biggest decision I’ve ever had to make.” White House sources told CNN he’s asked officials about soon easing guidelines, wondering why some Americans shouldn’t be allowed to go back to work as death projections from COVID-19 are lowering thanks to social distancing measures.

While May 1 appears to be the new target, most health experts consider that date far too hasty, and regardless of Trump’s decision, governors and mayors will still continue issuing their own guidelines. New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio, for one, announced on Saturday morning that the city’s school system, the largest in the nation, has officially been closed for the 2019-2020 term.

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On Friday, Trump said he would surround himself with “the greatest minds” before he decided what to do about ending social distancing recommendations. Despite having the world’s leading doctors and health experts available to him, Trump’s brain trust is reportedly comprised heavily of Wall Street executives and hedge fund managers. According to CNN, Trump’s zeal to push for a premature opening is causing internal debate, with concerns about “wealthy outside voices … pushing their own agendas—with their own portfolios and companies in mind—rather than what may be best for the country.”

“While the medical experts beg for more time to curb the coronavirus,” according to the New York Times, “bankers, corporate executives and industrialists plead with him to reopen the country as soon as possible.” Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and real estate titan Steven Roth have been among the executives contacting Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, while others have gone through Jared Kushner.

Wall Street’s pressure is echoed by Trump’s television channel of choice, Fox News, whose star personalities are beating the drum to ease social distancing guidelines. Laura Ingraham suggested that Trump tell his medical advisors it’s going to be May 1 whether they like it or not.

Fellow primetime Fox News Tucker Carlson and conservative radio star Rush Limbaugh have both targeted Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former calling him a “Clinton sympathizer” and the latter suggesting he’s been “wrong repeatedly.” Tomi Lahren, a Fox News nation host, tweeted Friday: “It’s time to start the reopen of America.”

Experts continue to say that the only way to safely allow people back to work is with comprehensive testing. Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House pandemic coordinator, emphasized at Friday’s press conference how widespread testing could show the scope of how coronavirus has spread. “Is this the tip of the iceberg, or is this half the iceberg or three-quarters of the iceberg that we’ve seen to date?” she said. The president, however, responding to a question about the need for increased testing, suggested that some rural areas with a “lot of land” have less reason to worry. “Let's get the tractors moving,” he said, “and let's get the corn.”

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