Trump demands governors immediately open churches and threatens to 'override' holdouts https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-demands-governors-immediately-open-churches-and-threatens-to-override-holdouts Trump said that governors would need to update their social distancing protocols to include the opening of churches by this weekend, adding that if states don't do so, he'd override their authority through executive action to allow the public to attend worship services. "The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now. For this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors," Trump said. Trump’s new guidelines would not be binding on governors, as no other federal guidelines have been. Legal disputes between state governments and religious entities must be solved through litigation. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany appeared to walk back Trump's threaten to challenge governors who don't comply, saying that the president just "wants to see churches reopen in accordance with his guidelines." "The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen," she said, speaking after Trump at the briefing. Trump has no authority to "override" them...but AG Barr does...