UPDATE: After dining with Murphy, Trump says key N.J. rail project can ‘proceed’
President Donald Trump is hosting Gov. Phil Murphy for dinner at his Bedminster golf club Friday night to discuss New Jersey’s recovery and reopening from the coronavirus pandemic, as well as bettering America’s infrastructure, the White House announced.
A White House spokesman said Trump will dine with Murphy and his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy, to “discuss the state’s response efforts to COVID-19, progress to reopen, and their shared interest for improving our nation’s infrastructure."
Murphy’s office confirmed on Twitter:
Murphy, an avowed progressive Democrat, has frequently been a harsh critic of Trump, a Republican, in recent years. But the two have struck a more diplomatic, even conciliatory, tone in recent months as New Jersey has sought the federal government’s help in responding to the coronavirus. While Trump has taken aim at other Democratic governors, he has praised Murphy multiple times.
New Jersey has the second-most COVID-19 deaths and cases among U.S. states, and the state’s tax revenue has cratered in the wake of business closings and lockdown restrictions Murphy ordered to fight the virus’ spread. The governor has warned up to 200,000 public-worker layoffs in the state if the federal government doesn’t provide more direct aid to states.
At the same time, New Jersey is still seeking Trump to approve the Gateway Project, which includes a proposal to build a much-needed new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
This is the second time Murphy and Trump have met face to face in about six weeks. The governor visited the White House on April 30 to discuss the pandemic.
“You can’t have a better representative than this man," Trump said of Murphy that day.
The governor has said he doesn’t get “to choose” who the president currently is.
“President Trump is the president and so we have to have a good working relationship with the administration,” Murphy told CNN in April.
Friday’s dinner comes as Trump faces a stream of criticism from the left over how he has responded to mass protests against police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.
Murphy, meanwhile, has said Floyd’s death shows the “stain” of slavery and ”systemic racism” still plagues the U.S., and he marched in a pair of Black Lives Matter protests Sunday.
The governor has also said it was “disgraceful” that Trump earlier this month posed holding a Bible outside a burned Washington church after officials forcefully cleared protesters to make way for the president’s photo.
Plus, this is a presidential election year. And Murphy last month publicly endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s likely Democratic opponent in November’s race.
Trump, who frequently stays at the private golf club he owns in the Somerset County hills in the spring and summer, is making his first visit of the spring there this weekend.
His dinner with Murphy comes as both indoor and outdoor dining at New Jersey restaurants are banned under the governor’s coronavirus restrictions. Murphy is allowing outdoor dining starting Monday, though indoor dining is off-limits indefinitely. Dining at your home is still allowed, though indoor gatherings are currently capped at 50 people.
It’s unclear where Trump and the Murphys ate on the property. Murphy’s office did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Trump is scheduled to deliver the commencement address Saturday at the military academy in West Point and then return to Bedminster to host a fundraising event for his re-election campaign, the Republican National Committee, and 22 state parties.
The event will be limited to around 25 people and cost $250,000 per person.
New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported 12,489 known deaths attributed to COVID-19, with 166,164 known cases, in the 101 days since the outbreak here started March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among U.S. states.
But New Jersey’s daily numbers have improved significantly in recent months. State officials on Friday reported 48 new deaths and 495 new cases.
The state will enter Stage 2 of its multi-phase reopening plan Monday, when outdoor dining will be permitted and nonessential businesses can welcome customers back inside, at 50% capacity.
More than 1.2 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment since aggressive social distancing to fight COVID-19 started in mid-March.
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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.