Mixed Messages: Kudlow Declares ‘The Country is Ready to Go Back to Work’ Just as Dr. Fauci Says ‘We’re Not There Yet’

Within the same hour, Larry Kudlow and Dr. Anthony Fauci delivered conflicting signals about where the United States economy is heading into the next couple of weeks, amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Kudlow told Fox Business’ Stuart Varney that “the country is ready to go back to work” at 11:20 a.m. EST., while Fauci told the Associated Press that “we’re not there yet” around the same time.

Kudlow, an economic adviser, told Fox Business that President Donald Trump is expected to make a “very important” announcement in the next couple of days. On Monday, Kudlow was named to a seven-person council appointed by Trump to “reopen the nation.” The group received scrutiny for its lack of a health official on the council, among others.

On Tuesday morning, Kudlow said he didn’t want to be precise on a timeline to re-opening the country yet, but that his team is “ready to go back, ready to take the necessary step to get America back.” Kudlow made headlines on March 6 when he said the virus was “contained.”

On the other hand, Fauci was less optimistic about a speedy return to everyday life.

“We have to have something in place that is efficient and that we can rely on, and we’re not there yet,” Fauci told the AP — in an interview published just moments after Kudlow appeared on Fox Business.

Fauci called a May 1 re-opening “a bit overly optimistic” for most areas and any lift of social distancing guidelines would come in a “rolling” basis.

Trump has floated re-opening the United States as early as Easter, which was April 12. His new council, which includes Mark Meadows, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Steven Mnuchin, Robert Lighthizer, Wilbur Ross, and Kudlow, will now advise Trump with new dates.

But from what Fauci has said throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, Trump still will pay attention to Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ expert opinions.

“We say we need to be flexible, he realizes that, and he accepts that,” Fauci said on March 24. “He doesn’t want to give up his aspirational goal, but he’s flexible enough to say, ‘Okay, let’s look at it on a day-by-day basis.’”