• President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he disagrees “strongly” with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen some businesses in his state beginning this week.
  • Kemp said on Monday that gyms, bowling alleys, barbershops, hair and nail salons, massage therapy businesses, and tattoo parlors can reopen as early as Friday.
  • “I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the Phase 1 guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia,” Trump said, referring to preliminary guidance the White House issued on reopening the country in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Trump’s remarks are at odds with a CNN report from earlier in the day that said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence called Kemp on Tuesday night to express their support for his decision.
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he disagrees with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen some businesses in his state starting Friday.

Kemp said on Monday that gyms, bowling alleys, barbershops, hair and nail salons, massage therapy businesses, and tattoo parlors can reopen as early as Friday and that theaters and restaurants will be allowed to reopen on Monday. Kemp added that bars and nightclubs will remain shuttered for now.

The Republican governor’s announcement drew sharp criticism from public health officials, who warned that reopening businesses that quickly would exacerbate the coronavirus outbreak. Some business owners in the state pushed back and said they would keep their doors shut.

Georgia is also facing major hurdles in increasing testing throughout the state (it ranked in the bottom ten per capita in testing) and tracking individuals who come into contact with those infected with the virus.

Trump said on Wednesday that he spoke with Kemp earlier in the day.

"I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the Phase 1 guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia," Trump said, referring to preliminary guidelines the White House issued on beginning to reopen the country following statewide lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus.

"He must do what he thinks is right," Trump said. "I want him to do what he thinks is right. But I disagree with him on what he's doing, but I want to let the governors do - now if I see something totally egregious, totally out of line, I'll do - but I think spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlors and barbershops in Phase 1 - we're going to have Phase 2 very soon - is just too soon."

"I think it's too soon," Trump reiterated. "And I love the people. I love those people that use all of those things, the spas and beauty parlors and barbershops and tattoo parlors. I love them. But they can wait a little bit longer, just a little bit, not much, because safety has to predominate. We have to have that. So I told the governor very simply that I disagree with his decision, but he has to do what he thinks is right."

The president's remarks are at odds with a CNN report that cited a source familiar with the matter as saying Trump and Vice President Mike Pence called Kemp on Tuesday night to express support for his decision.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert who serves on the White House coronavirus task force, also said he disagreed with Kemp's decision.

"You know, if I were advising the governor I would tell him that he should be careful and I would advise him not to just turn the switch on and go, because there is a danger of a rebound," Fauci said during Wednesday's briefing.

"And I know there's the desire to move ahead quickly," he added. "That's a natural, human nature, desire. But going ahead and leapfrogging into phases where you should not be, I would advise him as a health official and as a physician not to do that."

Later in the briefing, a reporter asked Trump to elaborate on his conversation with Kemp and whether he would urge residents of states to listen to their governors or follow the White House's orders.

"Look, I'd like them to listen to their governors. All of their governors," Trump said. "I have the right to do if I wanted to clamp it down, but I have respect for the governors."

(Fact check: The president doesn't have the right to force states to follow his orders during public health crises.)

"They know what they're doing," Trump said of the governors. He then went on a tangent about Kemp's victory in Georgia's gubernatorial race in 2018 and claimed credit for his win.

"So there's a lot of good feeling between myself and Brian Kemp," Trump said. "I like him a lot. I happen to disagree with him only in timing. I disagree. When you have spas, beauty parlors - and I love these people, I know the people from spas and beauty parlors, tattoo parlors. 'Bikers for Trump,' a lot of tattoos. I love them, I love these people, and barbershops, these are great people."

"But you know what, maybe you wait a little bit longer until you get into a Phase 2," Trump said. "So do I agree with him, no, but I respect him and I will let him make his decision. Would I do that? No, I'd keep them a little longer, I want to protect people's lives. But I'm going to let him make his decision. But I told him, I totally disagree."

Kemp took to Twitter near the end of the briefing to address his conversation with the president but didn't elaborate on the apparent disagreement.

"Earlier today, I discussed Georgia's plan to reopen shuttered businesses for limited operations with @POTUS. I appreciate his bold leadership and insight during these difficult times and the framework provided by the White House to safely move states forward," Kemp tweeted.

He added: "Our next measured step is driven by data and guided by state public health officials. We will continue with this approach to protect the lives - and livelihoods - of all Georgians."

"Just like the thousands of businesses currently operating throughout Georgia, I am confident that business owners who decide to reopen will adhere to Minimum Basic Operations, which prioritize the health and well-being of employees and customers," Kemp tweeted.

The US is the global epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak. The World Health Organization declared the virus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, a pandemic last month.

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