Trump says he has 'total authority' to reopen the economy, not the states

US President Donald Trump declares that his authority went it comes to reopening the country is 'total' but says he "would rather work with the states" than supersede the governors.

During a briefing at the White House, Trump also discusses his willingness to lift the European travel restrictions, talks about the virus-stricken USS Roosevelt and warns the World Trade Center of leaving "if we don't get treated fairly."

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stressed he wants to open the world's largest economy as swiftly as possible, and said Monday he would announce guidance this week on how to jump-start stalled business.

He controversially declared that as president he, not state governors, has the "ultimate authority" in deciding when to restart the shutteredeconomy.

He also signalled the US might be past the worst of the outbreaks, even as his experts urged caution.

"It looks like we're plateauing, and maybe even in many cases coming down," Trump told reporters about various US metrics including new cases.

More than half of humanity is now under confinement to contain the virus, which has killed at least 119,000 people and infected two million since emerging in China late last year.