Trump suggests keeping coronavirus death toll to 100,000 would be sign of success

President Trump told a press briefing Sunday the U.S. coronavirus death toll could have reached 2.2 million without social distancing restrictions, and it would signal “we all together have done a very good job” if the number is limited to 100,000–200,000.

Why it matters: Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN earlier Sunday that models suggest COVID-19 could kill 100,000–200,000 Americans, though he stressed the projections are a “moving target.” Trump said it’s a “horrible number,” but it could it have been worse were it not for the restrictions and the $2.2 trillion stimulus package he signed into law Friday. View the post with video here.