Trump on release of jailed Texas salon owner: States are being 'absolutely ridiculous'
President Trump says it is 'unrealistic' for the country to be closed for an extended period of time on 'Fox & Friends.'
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President Trump said on Friday that a Texas salon owner's stance against the state's stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic is representative of the many Americans who want to get back to work.
“Everybody’s done what they have done and you can only do that for so long,” Trump told “Fox & Friends.”
Trump said that the American people are forcing the economies to reopen and that California and other states should reopen on a quicker timeline.
“The people are going to force [the reopening of the economy.] Not in all cases. In some cases, you have to keep it going longer."
Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther, who was ordered jailed for seven days Tuesday after she violated a local coronavirus-related business closure order, joined "Hannity" for an interview Thursday, hours after her release.
Luther said she is feeling much better after being allowed to go back home, and told host Sean Hannity she stands by her decision not to apologize as instructed by state District Judge Eric Moye.
"That was the last thing I was going to do, honestly," she said. " ... I just couldn't, I couldn't bring myself to apologize."
BOYFRIEND OF JAILED DALLAS SALON OWNER SAYS SHE'S BEING HELD IN ISOLATION DUE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK
Moye gave Luther the option of avoiding prison if she apologized for what he described as her "selfish" behavior, paid a fine and kept her doors closed until Friday, when hair salons across Texas can open with restrictions.
Trump said that Moye is a "terrible judge" for ordering Luther to serve jail time. He called Luther "incredible" and said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was "incensed" when he heard about the ruling.
Luther added that during the time she was open in defiance of the order, the salon instituted strict sanitation and social distancing measures.
Trump said that the United States learned a lot about the coronavirus “scourge” and the country cannot be closed down much longer due to the economic damage.
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“We’ve learned a lot about this scourge, this disease. We can’t close our country for two years. I had one doctor [who said] ‘Well, we can keep it closed two or three years. That would be wonderful.’ You wouldn’t have a country, your country would break.”
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