Trump uses coronavirus crisis to push his broader agenda

President Donald Trump is taking an old political to heart: Never let a crisis go to waste.

 coronavirus is projected to kill more than 100,000 Americans. It has effectively shuttered ecomy, torpedoed stock market and rewritten rules of what used to be called rmal life.

But in this moment of upheaval, Trump and his visers haven’t lost sight of opportunity to vance his nda.

A look at some of president's table moves:

BRINGING BACK ENTERTAINMENT TAX DEDUCTION

Trump has called on Congress to revive  tax deduction for business-related expenses on meals and entertainment, arguing it would help bolster high-end restaurants hammered by outbreak.

Trump’s own tax law in 2017 sliced tax rate for corporations from 35% to 21% and eliminated deduction.

“This is a great time to bring it back,” Trump said of resurrecting tax break. "Orwise a lot of se restaurants are going to have a hard time reopening,” he said at White House briefing Wednesday.

During a Rose Garden briefing last Sunday, Trump said he h spoken with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck about idea. Trump also name-checked prominent restaurateurs including Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten as he tried to make case for reviving deduction. Vongerichten is a tenant at president’s Trump Tower in New York.

“Congress must pass old, and very strongly proven, deductibility by businesses on restaurants and entertainment,” Trump tweeted recently. “This will bring restaurants, and everything related, back - and stronger than ever. Move quickly, y will all be saved!”

USING VIRUS TO MAKE CASE FOR TIGHTER BORDERS

Trump has repeatedly credited himself with moving in late January to bar entry from foreigners who h recently been in China.

president later also ordered temporary suspension of travel from much of Europe to United States, and has largely closed U.S. borders with Cana and Mexico.

But Trump has tably used crisis to remind Americans about his 2016 campaign promise to build a wall along U.S.-Mexico border. He argues a wall would help contain coronavirus. In a tweet last month, he said structure is “Going up fast” and “We need Wall more than ever!”

Leing public health experts disagree. Robert Redfield, director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told lawmakers last month that he was unaware of any indication from his ncy that physical barriers along America’s borders would help halt spre of coronavirus in U.S.

Still, Trump argues that virus has only spotlighted that his instincts on border wall were right.

virus — and subsequent opportunity to invoke emergency powers — has allowed Trump to lock down borders and make sure virtually immigrants are getting in.

PANDEMIC UNDERSCORES NEED FOR PROTECTIONISM, TRUMP SAYS

Trump in recent days has grumbled that American companies such as 3M and GM are t doing eugh to provide American medical workers and first responders with vital equipment y need.

But president and his aides have also me a broer argument about need for country to retool regulations to encour manufacturing of medicine and or key safety equipment on American soil.

Peter Navarro, a senior tre viser to Trump, said pandemic, which has left hospitals short of ventilators and protective masks, has underscored president’s “buy American, secure borders, and a strong manufacturing base” philosophy.

“Never again should we have to depend on rest of world for our essential medicines and countermeasures,” Navarro said.

MINISTRATION ROLLS BACK MILE STANDARDS

On same day that White House anunced projections that 100,000 to 240,000 Americans are likely to die from coronavirus, Environmental Protection ncy introduced a controversial new federal rule that will relax mile standards for years to come.

rollback is a victory for Americans who like ir SUVs and pickup trucks, but it’s hardly without a cost. government’s own projections indicate that new standards also mean more Americans will die from air pollution, and re will be more climate-damaging tailpipe exhaust and more expense for drivers at gas pumps.

Trump hailed new rule as reason for Americans to go out and buy big, new cars.

“Great news! American families will w be able to buy safer, more affordable, and environmentally friendly cars with our new SAFE VEHICLES RULE,” Trump tweeted.

Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups condemned rollback, and years of legal battles are expected, including from California and or states opposed to change.

KEEPING AN EYE ON OVERHAULING COURTS

Trump anunced Friday he was minating a young, federal judge to fill a high-profile vacancy on U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit.

Judge Justin Walker, 37, was confirmed less than six months ago for a seat on U.S. District Court in Western Kentucky after a contentious minating fight about his credentials.

former clerk to retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is one of youngest federal judges in country. He also has deep ties to Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who hailed mination as an opportunity to "refresh second-most-important federal court in country.″ Walker also clerked for Justice Brett Kavanaugh when Kavanaugh was a judge on D.C. appeals court.

Walker drew a rare “t Qualified” rating from American Bar Association when Trump minated him last year to be a federal judge. Despite reservations from Democrats and legal community about Walker’s credentials, his mination was approved, 50—41. Opponents ted he was barely 10 years out of law school and h never served as co-counsel at trial when he was tapped for federal bench.

Trump ministration has worked feverishly to overhaul federal courts, minating and winning Senate confirmation for more than 190 judges over past three years, a pace unseen since Ronald Reagan was in White House.

Even in midst of battling a pandemic, Trump hasn’t lost sight of long-term impact his minations to federal bench will have on his legacy.