Not Over Yet

President Trump announced new guidelines to put states on a path to reopening, but there's still a long road [Image reopening press conf]( Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images The Big Picture: It’s Going To Be A While Despite President Trump's optimistic tone this week about "reopening" the country and [issuing broad guidelines]( for how to do it, the [overwhelming majority of Americans are going to be stuck]( in the status quo for some time. "Every day we're getting closer to the future that we all have been waiting for," Trump said on Friday evening. "I talk about the light at the end of the tunnel. We are getting very, very close to seeing that light shine very brightly at the end of that tunnel." But consider that the 20 states, including D.C., with the fewest coronavirus cases make up just 11% of the country. Trump said if there are outbreaks in places after restrictions are loosened, he will "whack" them. But how? There is no vaccine or proven treatment yet. Plus, health experts note, [there is still concern about testing capacity](. Trump said that some states can begin Phase 1 of reopening "immediately," before his target date of May 1. But the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, at the University of Washington, which has been one of the principal groups doing modeling, [said Friday]( that only a few should even consider reopening by May 4 — including Vermont, West Virginia, Montana and Hawaii. Other states — like Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Utah, Arkansas and Oklahoma — may need to wait until June or July. And that's to say nothing of when big states with lots of cases can reopen. “Now, the challenge — as well as opportunity — is for states to figure out how to reopen the U.S. economy and allow people to get back to work without sacrificing that progress," IHME Director Christopher Murray said in a statement. "Relaxing social distancing too soon carries great risks of a resurgence of new infections. No one wants to see this vicious cycle repeating itself.” — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent --------------------------------------------------------------- [Image Rose Garden briefing]( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Politics Roundup: The Coronavirus Crisis Keeping promises: President Trump promised a sweeping campaign to address the coronavirus pandemic in early March. While his administration did make some progress, NPR’s investigation team found [several promises that were largely unfulfilled](. WHO funding: Citing “mismanagement” of the pandemic, President Trump [announced]( he would suspend funding for the World Health Organization, while its conduct is reviewed. Walk through [this timeline]( to look back at how the president and WHO leadership have responded to coronavirus developments. On the Hill: Even while trying to bring relief and aid to the country during a global pandemic, members of Congress have not been immune to COVID-19. [Track how many]( lawmakers have been infected and quarantined since the pandemic began. FEMA chief: The Trump administration’s third pick for head of FEMA, Pete Gaynor, has [taken charge]( of coronavirus response since the end of March. Officials who have worked with Gaynor said his experience in emergency response at the state level will help him take control of the challenging circumstances he faces in partnering with the Trump administration and governors. "Total authority": President Trump declared this week, falsely, that he had “total authority” to reopen the economy across the country. Leaders on both sides of the aisle pushed back on his claim, leading to the [president’s reversal]( saying that he would coordinate with governors to reopen their individual state economies. — Meredith Roaten, NPR Politics intern --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Image Michelle Obama]( Vincent Thian/AP ICYMI: Top Stories Back on the scene: Former first lady Michelle Obama is [stepping back]( into politics, working to promote her nonpartisan voting initiative When We All Vote. Obama is one of the most sought-after surrogates in the 2020 race, with popularity that crosses party lines. The women who ran: Six women ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, which featured the most diverse slate of candidates of all time. But the race ended up with two older, white male contenders. Now, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has promised to choose a woman as a running mate. NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben [looks at]( the role gender placed in the primary race. Wisconsin takeaways: A Democratic-backed judge won a high-stakes race for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden won the state’s primary. Results [were reported]( Monday, nearly a week after the election in Wisconsin, which, unlike many other states, forged ahead. Phoning it in: The U.S. Supreme Court [announced Monday]( that it will hear nearly a dozen oral arguments by phone in May, utilizing the remote option in response to the coronavirus crisis. Three of the cases involve subpoenas for President Trump’s financial records. No new trial: Roger Stone — the longtime Republican operative and friend of President Trump — [will not receive]( a new trial, federal judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled Thursday. Stone, who was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison, alleged misconduct and political bias in the original proceedings. — Maya Gandhi, NPR Politics intern --------------------------------------------------------------- [Image families at home]( Hannah Yoon The Shot: Families Adjust To Life At Home As the coronavirus crisis keeps people home, families are navigating this new reality, including many parents who are juggling their own work and their children’s online education. Freelance photographer Hannah Yoon captured what socially distant life looks like for a few families in the Philadelphia area. [See more]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? 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