Trump says California should let Tesla reopen assembly plant

SAN FRANCISCO - US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that California should allow automaker Tesla to resume operations in Alameda County.

"California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!" Trump wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

Trump is eager for the US economy to restart so Americans can return to work.

Musk sued the county on Saturday after it told the company it didn't meet criteria to reopen.

A county health official said on Friday that all manufacturers, including Tesla, were asked to delay operations by at least another week to monitor infection and hospitalization rates.

According to Scott Haggerty, the Alameda Country supervisor, the county had been working to permit Tesla to resume production on May 18, the same day other US automakers have been allowed to reopen in other states.

Musk is furious over California's handling of its reopening policy, threatening to move the factory out to Texas or Nevada.

While the United States is still battling the COVID-19 health crisis, states and cities are experimenting with ways to restart the economy safely.

The pandemic has left the US economy in tatters.

In April, the United States lost 20.5 million jobs with the unemployment rate reaching 14.7 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

President Donald Trump's top economic adviser Kevin Hassett continued to paint a dark picture for future unemployment, saying unemployment rate will "probably" be "close to 20 percent" in May.