Bill Ackman calls on Trump to ‘shut down’ the U.S. for the next 30 days

Billionaire activist investor Bill Ackman, the CEO of $11 billion Pershing Square Capital, called on President Trump to shut the U.S. down for the next month to save lives as the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads.  

“Mr. President, the only answer is to shut down the country for the next 30 days and close the borders. Tell All Americans that you are putting us on an extended Spring Break at home with family. Keep only essential services open. The government pays wages until we reopen,” Ackman Tweeted. 

Ackman, who joined Twitter in June 2017 and hasn’t Tweeted since the government shutdown in January 2019, implored Trump to “please send everyone home now.” 

“With your leadership, we can end this now. The rest of the world will follow your lead. A global Spring Break will save us all.” 

Experts have strongly advised that people stay home in an attempt to “flatten the curve” as the number of COVID-19 cases grows and the death toll moves higher. 

“With exponential compounding, every day we postpone the shutdown costs thousands, and soon hundreds of thousands, and then millions of lives, and destroys the economy,” the hedge fund manager Tweeted. 

The activist investor added that no one should default or have their home foreclosed. Instead, it should be “a 30-day rent, interest and tax holiday for all.” 

“The shutdown is inevitable as it is already happening, but not in a controlled fashion which is extended the economic pain and amplifying the spread of the virus,” he added.

Julia La Roche is a Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.