Explainer | Coronavirus: why Donald Trump has little power to reopen US economy
- Trump claimed it is his decision whether to reopen states after the pandemic risk has eased
- But legal experts say a US president has quite limited power to order cities to reopen government buildings or local businesses
The Republican president also accused the news media of incorrectly saying US governors are largely the ones who decide when normal economic activity can resume.
But legal experts say a US president has quite limited power to order citizens back to their places of employment, or cities to reopen government buildings, transport, or local businesses. Here is why.
What does the Constitution say about who makes decisions about public welfare?
The US is a federalist system, meaning power is shared between a national and state governments.
Under the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution, state governments have power to police citizens and regulate public welfare. In the country’s early years, it was up to state and local authorities to lead the response to the yellow fever epidemic, not the federal government.