Donald Trump and his likely Democratic presidential opponent Joe Biden called by phone on Monday to speak about the coronavirus pandemic that is hitting the United States hard, according to a source familiar with the organization. "They spoke to each other this afternoon about the Covid-19," the source told AFP, without specifying who was behind the call or the content of their exchange.
The two septuagenarians evoked this conversation since last week. An attractive idea amid calls for rallies in the face of the health crisis. The idea had been launched by the former vice-president of Barack Obama, ultra-favorite for the democratic nomination. Donald Trump had publicly accepted the principle. But Donald Trump and Joe Biden had been slow to act, preferring to send spades.
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Bouncing on the assumption, advanced by what he nicknamed "Sleepy Joe" ("Joe asleep"), of a Democratic convention in August without an audience due to the coronavirus, Donald Trump had ironic Monday morning. “Now he wants a 'virtual' convention where he doesn't need to be present. I wonder why?" , he launched, before wondering why Biden had still not tried to reach him.
"Mr. President, I hope that (the convention) can take place in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), but it will depend on your ability to rise to the occasion and do what is necessary in the face of this pandemic," replied the candidate Biden. Referring to his website where he presents the measures he would take if he were president, he added: "Ready to speak when you want" .
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Since coming to power in early 2017, Donald Trump has never shown the slightest appetite for meetings with personalities who have held positions of responsibility in Washington. Asked two weeks ago about the possibility of soliciting his predecessors in the White House to benefit from their experience in times of crisis, he replied: "I don't think I would learn much."
The coronavirus has killed more than 10,500 people in the United States for more than 350,000 officially declared cases. The world's leading power is the third most bereaved country after Italy and Spain.