Trump On NYC Indoor Dining Return: 'Go Faster!'

NEW YORK CITY — President Donald Trump gave his review of New York City's upcoming return to indoor dining: "A step in the right direction, but should go faster!"

Trump's caution-to-the-wind tweet Thursday morning coincided and contrasted with Mayor Bill de Blasio's admission that city officials expressed concerns over the decision.

The city took a "conservative" stance in discussions with the state over indoor dining's return to New York City, de Blasio said. He said officials were concerned about the Sept. 30 start date —which will shortly follow the return to schools — as well as setting a 2 percent infection rate threshold for reassessing whether keeping dining rooms open.

In the end, the state didn't take up either proposal in the guidance Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday.

"That was the back-and-forth and my team and I expressed some real thoughts and concerns there," de Blasio said. "As for indoor dining, I'm sure it will be done properly."

De Blasio also said that the state only informed the city about the indoor dining decision about an hour before Cuomo's announcement.

It's not the only matter of political timing and caution — or lack thereof — surrounding the indoor dining decision

Trump tweeted his "go faster" indoor dining stance amid a storm over his admission to journalist Bob Woodward that he intentionally downplayed the threat posed by the new coronavirus during the pandemic's early days.

"I wanted to always play it down," the president said, according to excerpts of Woodward's upcoming book "Rage."