President Trump stepped into the White House press briefing room Friday and made what sounded like a big announcement: He would be classifying places of worship as “essential,” in line with businesses such as grocery stores, meaning they can reopen in this pandemic. And if governors decide not to open places of worship — given some were coronavirus hot spots in the spring — well, Trump will override them.
“The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend,” the president said. “If they don’t do it, I will override the governors.”
Commanding places of worship across the country to open is not something Trump can do. When to open public venues of all types is up to the governor of each individual state. And much like when Trump announced last month he was going to force governors to open their states, when it comes to reopening places of worship, he jumped over what’s constitutionally allowed and arguably medically advisable, in an apparent effort to move the country in a direction he thinks is better for his reelection. Continue reading.