Trump adviser tells Michigan to “rise up” against COVID restrictions

Enlarge / Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer about to speak at an event in Southfield, Michigan, on October 16, 2020. (credit: Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images)

One of the Trump administration's top coronavirus advisers called for Michigan residents to "rise up" against their state government to resist temporary coronavirus mitigation measures-barely one month after several men were arrested for conspiring to kidnap and assassinate the state's governor.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration on Sunday issued a new emergency order putting a "pause" on several nonessential businesses and activities for the next three weeks. The order closes casinos and movie theaters, halts in-person dining in bars and restaurants, and requires colleges and high schools to return to all-virtual education, among other limitations. Childcare and schools up through eighth grade can remain open, as can gyms and pools, retail locations, and personal care services such as hair salons. Gatherings of up to 25 people are also permitted outdoors.

"Right now, there are thousands of cases a day, and hundreds of deaths a week in Michigan, and the number is growing," Whitmer said when announcing the order. "If we don't act now, thousands more will die, and our hospitals will continue to be overwhelmed. We can get through this together by listening to health experts once again and taking action right now to slow the spread of this deadly virus."

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