Trump Says Virus in US Will Get Worse Before it Gets Better

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is warning that the coronavirus pandemic will get worse in the U.S. before it gets better.

But he's also trying to paint a rosy picture of efforts to conquer the disease that has claimed more than 140,000 American lives in just five months.

In a White House appearance late Tuesday, he also professed a newfound respect for the protective face masks he has seldom worn.

He pulled one from his pocket but didn’t put it on.

Trump has revived his virus briefings with an eye to halting a campaign-season erosion of support.

Meanwhile, the next stage of the federal government’s response to the pandemic is being crafted on Capitol Hill.