Trump warns Maine after business punished for reopening as more devastated owners defy lockdown

Donald Trump has slammed the state of Maine punishing a business for reopening under Covid-19 lockdown measures, something that is occurring more often as employers struggle to survive with little to no commerce or assistance.

“Many complaints coming in about Maine,” the president tweeted on Sunday.

He later warned the state not to “make the cure worse than the problem itself. That can happen, you know!”

Trump’s words were in reaction to Maine Gov. Janet Mills reportedly revoking the state licenses of business owner Rick Savage for defying state mandates and reopening his Sunday River Brewing Company restaurant.  

Despite people flocking to the establishment upon it reopening on Friday — eateries are supposed to remain closed until June at the moment — Savage announced he will be closed “until further notice.”

Savage had previously appeared on Fox News’ ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ to criticize Mills and encourage more Maine businesses to reopen despite lockdown orders. 

In other states, small businesses have taken paths similar to Savage’s and decided to reopen their locations in recent days. 

Hair salon Lather Studio and Wine Cave, both in California, spoke to local media about reopening this week despite the lockdown, saying the commerce is needed to keep up with bills.

“If I don’t do this, I don’t think my business will survive,” Wine Cave owner Joseph Tahanians told Fox LA. 

A Reno, Nevada barber reopened her shop for business too and found a $1,000 fine from the Nevada Barbers' Health and Sanitation Board for malpractice waiting for her. She says she will continue to stay open despite the fine.

Businesses reopening on their own reflects a frustration with lockdown measures seen too in protests in states such as Texas, Michigan, and California, where demonstrators often violate social distancing guidelines in an effort to highlight the negative effects the lockdowns are having on businesses and workers.

With states in varying degrees of lockdown — Texas and other places are slowly reopening — there’s no telling when a blanket ‘normal’ will come back across the whole country. Further complicating any timeline are the frustrations of suffering small businesses and workers not helped enough through government support programs. Trump has also shown through his support of protesters and lockdown violators despite orders from governors that the federal and state governments are not even close to seeing eye-to-eye on what — or when — to reopen.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!