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President Donald Trump, itching to reopen the economy, took shots at multiple states, including Michigan -- where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has imposed a tough stay-home order while indicating she'll restart the economy based on data and science.
LIBERATE MICHIGAN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
In separate tweets, the president also said "Liberate Minnesota" and "Liberate Virginia and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!"
All three states have Democratic governors. The tweets support residents protesting stay-home orders and business closures
On Friday, during a daily press briefing, Whitmer in response to a reporter's question, said she hoped the tweet was not encouraging people not to obey the stay-home order.
Trump has gotten into conflicts with Whitmer, who has criticized the federal government's response to Covid-19. During his daily briefing Thursday, he refused to criticize Lansing protesters, some of whom stood close together in front of the Capitol a day earlier.
When asked if protesters in Michigan and other states should listen to local authorities, Trump said:
"I think they're listening, I think they listen to me. They seem to be protestors that like me and respect this opinion and my opinion is the same as just about all of the governors. They all want to open, nobody wants to stay shut, but they want to open safely. So do I."
Friday's all-caps tweet brings this response on Twitter from University of Michigan law professor Barb McQuade, a former federal prosecutor in Detroit: "Don’t take the bait, fellow Michiganders."
A few other reactions:
When will this fresh hell end? This lifelong Democrat would give my left arm for 5 minutes of Reagan, Bush I, or Bush II back in the White House. Repubs-You can’t honestly believe this is an appropriate way to respond to a pandemic which has robbed us of over 2,000 people in MI? https://t.co/CMKHG0fCfI
— Dana Nessel (@dananessel) April 17, 2020
These protests backfired in Michigan. I can see independents leaning toward Biden for the general election.
— Kyle (@KebabKyle) April 17, 2020
Is the president calling for an armed insurrection in my state? https://t.co/RIWzMYVJpJ
— Susan J. Demas (@sjdemas) April 17, 2020