Pandemic power play between Trump and states

A power struggle is brewing between President Donald Trump and state goverrs over who has final say in reopening parts of US ecomy devisted by coronavirus pandemic.

During a White House press conference on Monday, President Trump claimed to have "total" authority for certain state decision like rescinding stay at home orders.

"You have a couple of bands of Democrat goverrs but y will agree to it. y will agree to it," Trump said to reporters. " authority of president of United States having to do with subject we're talking about is total."

Trump would t offer specifics about source of his asserted power, which he claimed, despite constitutional limitations, was absolute.

William Howell, chair of political science department at University of Chicago, said claim contricts Trump's approach to taking responsibility for response to public health crisis.

"You see this contrast between on one hand claiming absolute and unfettered authority. On or hand saying it's t all my fault, it's or people's fault," Howell said. "It also stands in market contrast to our system of separated powers, wherein power is always contested. Power is always partially held, t just by president but by everybody. body has complete say over doings of government."

US constitution gives public health and safety responsibilities primarily to state and local officials.

During a national emergency a US president also has more authority, but Howell said it is t clear what boundaries of that authority are.

"This works on a couple of different dimensions. One simply has to do with who has final authority over rendering a decision about wher or t... a stay at home order will persist and how an ecomy will open back up?" Howell said. "re is a fight over that. It's a legal fight, and to be sure goverrs have a whole lot of authority in this ."

US has faced or governance challenges during times of war, but Howell said coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented in it's scope and demands that every goverr, legislator and president come toger and find harmonious solutions.

"We have a disease, a pandemic that is coursing through entire country that requires local responses, that is hard to detect, that requires cooperation of people running all way through our government and individuals in ir own private lives abiding by orders that are extremely difficult to enforce," Howell said.

Coalitions of goverrs have formed on West Coast and in rast, and groups are set to release detailed plans for lifting virus restrictions on Tuesday April 13.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said his coalition, which includes Oregon and Washington state, is using science evidence, t political pressure to guide ir decisions.