Trump: Democrats Want the Economy to Stay in Shutdown for 2020 Election: ‘It’s a Political Thing’

President Donald Trump accused his critics of hoping the coronavirus will keep the economy shut down longer because it will give them political ammunition against him.

Speaking to Maria Bartiromo, Trump boasted that “we’ve learned a lot and we also know how to put [the pandemic] out,” but then he said “We have to open our country. We have no choice. People are dying this way too” from the economic devastation. This prompted Bartiromo to ask “Do you think your critics want you to keep it closed going into the election?”

“I do,” Trump answered. “I think it’s a political thing in addition.”

Baritoromo continued by invoking Trump’s critics who’ve accused him of “putting, money business ahead of lives” with his push for the economy to reopen faster. Trump snarked at that and said “the people that want to see the right thing happen, they agree with me. We have to get our country open. If it was up to some people, let’s keep it close for a long time, okay? A long time and watch the United States down the tubes. It’s never going to happen in my watch.”

Watch above, via Fox Business