Trump warns state governors to open places of worship — or he’ll do it himself

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday warned state governors to allow churches, synagogues and mosques in the United States to open for worship this weekend or else he will override them.

At a short appearance in the White House briefing room, Trump said he was declaring places of worship as providing essential services.

He warned governors: “If they don’t do it I will override the governors. In America we need more prayer, not less.”

Data tracked by Johns Hopkins University shows the U.S. has so far experienced 1.59 million cases of COVID-19, out of a global caseload of more than five million.

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More than 335,000 people have died around the world, including more than 95,000 Americans.

— With a file by Global News staff