WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is lauding Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, pointing to the state as a model for the nation for handling “embers” of the coronavirus.
The state, like much of the Sun Belt region, began experiencing a severe spike in COVID-19 cases after Memorial Day, as aggressive reopening plans coincided with an increase in travel.
Trump met with Ducey at the White House as he sought to highlight the surge in government resources and personnel to the state once federal officials observed an uptick in Arizona’s test positivity rate — a critical early warning sign of spreading infection. Ducey noted, “No celebration, no victory lap.”
