Trump to restart White House coronavirus task force briefings

President Trump said Monday that he will bring back the routine news briefings by the White House coronavirus task force, amid a spike of reported cases across the South and Southwest. 

"I was doing them, and we had a lot of people watching, record numbers watching in the history of cable television,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “There's never been anything like it. And we were doing very well. And I thought it would be sort of, automatic and a lot of positive things were happening and frankly, a lot of the country is doing well." 

The briefings could resume as early as Tuesday

The almost-daily briefings were indeed must-watch TV in the early stages of the pandemic, as Americans anxiously looked for answers and guidance about such pressing matters as virus hotspots, how to properly social distance and whether the country would have enough masks, ventilators and other related medical-safety equipment. 

However, the briefing stopped as infection rates across the U.S. started to flatten in mid-spring. Trump, facing reelection, purportedly wanted to curtail the briefings to get Americans' attention more focused on restarting the economy.

Critics have argued they were curtailed to limit public exposure for those on the task force who sought a more measured reopening including Dr. Anthony Fauci, considered the country’s top infectious disease expert.