It Looks Like Trump Is Now Trying to Fight With Pennsylvania

“I don’t know how you stay safe and move quickly,” Wolf said in response to a tweet from the president.

On Monday, President Trump took aim at the way leaders in Pennsylvania—specifically Democrats—have handled the coronavirus crisis.

“The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now, and they are fully aware of what that entails,” Trump tweeted. “The Democrats are moving slowly, all over the USA, for political purposes. They would wait until November 3rd if it were up to them. Don’t play politics. Be safe, move quickly!”

As of Monday, 57,154 people have been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Across the state, more than 3,700 people have lost their lives.

When asked about the president’s tweet, Gov. Tom Wolf pointed out during a news conference that being safe doesn’t equate with reopening the state swiftly.

“I don’t know how you stay safe and move quickly,” Wolf said. “We’re trying to move deliberately. In Pennsylvania, I closed down the state, the Commonwealth closed down the state, in a measured, staged manner. We’re reopening in the same measured, staged manner. I think that’s aimed at keeping people as safe as we possibly can in these uncharted waters. I think that’s the responsible thing to do.”

Wolf also criticized local county leaders on Monday for planning to reopen their counties without approval from his administration.

According to a recent poll, 62% of Pennsylvanians approve of the way Gov. Wolf is handling the coronavirus crisis.