Cuomo Says Trump Is Not A King, Can’t Force States To Reopen

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s claim of “total” authority to reopen the nation’s virus-stalled economy.

Cuomo said on NBC's “Today” on Tuesday that “We don't have a king. We have a president.”

He said on CNN that if Trump ordered him to reopen New York's economy prematurely, he wouldn't do it.

Trump said Monday that for the president of the United States, ”the authority is total.”

He was reacting to moves by governors on both coasts to form multi-state compacts to coordinate reopening society amid the global pandemic.