Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers gear up for another week fighting the coronavirus, seek to curb fallout

Both Congress and the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. is expected to dominate the Sunday talk show lineup this weekend as the virus continues to spread in the U.S. 

On Friday Trump declared a national emergency and is expected to expand travel restrictions to the United Kingdom and Ireland Sunday. As of Saturday afternoon, 2,496 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 51 have died, though many testing kits have not yet become widely available, leading some experts to estimate the caseload is much higher. 

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the administration’s coronavirus task force, is booked on nearly every cable TV network Sunday: ABC’s “This Week,” NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CNN’s “State of the Union” and “Fox News Sunday.”

Fauci, whose messaging on the virus has differed from the president, said Friday that disruptions to everyday life in the U.S. could last up to eight weeks.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who worked with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to try to hammer out a deal on the stimulus package the House passed in a 363-40 vote early Saturday morning, is booked on ABC’s “This Week” and “Fox News Sunday.” Meanwhile, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who was also involved in negotiating the stimulus package, is booked on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” 

The Senate is expected to take up the legislation sometime next week, though no senators were booked on any cable TV Sunday talk shows as of Saturday afternoon. 

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the administration has imposed travel bans and airlines have seen a reduction in flight numbers as dozens of events and conferences around the world are canceled or postponed. The decline in economic activity caused the stock market to dip to historically low levels in previous weeks.

As questions about the economic impact of the virus rise, Brian Moynihan, chief executive of Bank of America CEO, is booked on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), who declared a state of emergency this week, is booked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and CNN’s “State of the Union.” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who also declared a state of emergency this week, is also booked on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

On 5 p.m. Sunday, CNN will host its Democratic Presidential Debate, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden. The debate was originally scheduled to take place in Phoenix, but was moved to a Washington, D.C. studio to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

The Sunday talk show lineup is as follows: 

ABC’s “This Week” — Fauci;Mnuchin.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Fauci; Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio.)

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Fauci; Kudlow; Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner; Brian Moynihan, chief executive of Bank of America CEO

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Fauci; DeWine; Bill de Blasio.

“Fox News Sunday” — Fauci; Mnuchin.

Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — Peter Navarro, Assistant to the President for Trade and Manufacturing Policy; Michael Milken, Chairman of The Milken Institute; Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.); House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.);Griff Jenkins, Fox News Correspondent;Buck Sexton, Former CIA Officer // Host, “The Buck Sexton Show”; Jared Max, Fox News Headlines 24/7 Sports Reporter