It is 8pm on the East Coast and Donald Trump’s press conference is still going on.

I’m not kidding you. He’s just up there at the podium answering questions and it’s absolutely ridiculous as pointed out by Vox Media’s Aaron Rupar:

Trump's press conference is now approaching 2 hours. There is no reason for these things to be this long aside from Trump needing to get his daily fix of attention.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2020

Trump shocked everyone during the presser when he said he was probably going to reopen the economy soon, despite what public health officials recommend.

“You said it’s likely going to be weeks, not months, before you suggest easing these guidelines that you put out. Have any of the doctors on your team told you that’s the right path to pursue?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Trump.

In response, the president said he was attempting to strike a balance between the advice of medical professionals, requests from states, and members of his White House team.

“If we’re up to the doctors, they may say, ‘Let’s shut down the entire world,’ because again, you are up to almost 150 countries. So, ‘Let’s shut down the entire world, and when we shut it down, that would be wonderful. And let’s keep it shut for a couple of years.'”

He added, “You know, you can’t do that. And you can’t do that with a country, especially the No. 1 economy anywhere in the world, by far.”

On "scaling back" social distancing to "get back to work."

Q: Have any of the doctors on your team told you that's the right path?

Trump:
"We spoke to them today and I was telling them we have two things to look for … If it were up to the doctors we'd shut down the world." pic.twitter.com/3RtwMnb0Hd

— Bill Maxwell 🌊REMOVE TRUMP 2020🌊 (@Bill_Maxwell_) March 23, 2020

Then Trump was asked whether his wife Melania Trump has been tested, and his response was just plain weird and creepy:

Trump's response to a question about Melania getting tested for coronavirus was 😳 pic.twitter.com/lyOvPWybgU

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2020

It seems like he’s lying? Twitter felt the same:

Omg. He totally lied. 1000 percent.

— Some Dude (@resistwithlove1) March 24, 2020

Doesn’t Melania live in Maryland with her parents bc Barron goes to a Christian school in Maryland? His dementia is so far along he probably doesn’t remember who Melania is key alive married to her. My uncle couldn’t remember his own wife either.

— LawLady2019 (@LawLady2019) March 24, 2020

The most obvious example of one of his lies. If it was true, he would’ve immediately said it. Instead, he paused and his tone changed.

— Matt (@PoliticalMatt_) March 24, 2020

UPDATE:

According to CNN’s Kate Bennett, Melania Trump was tested for coronavirus at the same time Trump was.

NEW: @PressSec tells me: "@FLOTUS was tested the same night that @realDonaldTrump was tested, out of an abundance of caution. The test was negative." @realDonaldTrump was asked during the coronavirus briefing whether the first lady had been tested and he said, "Yes."

— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) March 24, 2020