right now on "america this morning," president trump's doctor explaining in a new memo why the president has decided to take the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent coronavirus. despite warnings about the health risks, what the doctor is revealing about his discussions with the president. new claims that al qaeda was behind a deadly attack at a florida military base. what we're now learning, plus apple responds to claims that it refused to help the fbi investigation. a possible big deal brewing in the retail industry. as jcpenney announces more store closures, could amazon be coming to the rescue? allegations of public nudity and drinking. the hazing scandal rocking a top college cheerleading program.

high-stakes gamble. the drunk suspect throwing his safe full of cash out the window. ♪ i want to ride my bicycle ♪ i want to ride my bike and two-wheeled trouble. americans looking to ride their bicycle could be pedaling into a problem, a shortage like we've never seen before. ♪ i want to ride my bicycle good tuesday morning, everyone. we're learning more about president trump's decision to take an anti-malaria drug after a white house staffer tested positive for coronavirus. >> the president's doctor has released a new memo. meanwhile, in a late night tweet, president trumpreat to th organization. the president now saying if the w.h.o. doesn't commit to major improvements in the next 30 days, he will permanently cut off u.s. funding for the organization. also today, a new warning to all those gyms here in the u.s. that are re-opening. a coronavirus cluster in south korea is now being linked to fitness classes.

>> here at home we're seeing new cases of that rare inflammatory illness. doctors in 21 states are now investigating cases. the symptoms include fever, stomach pain and red eyes. >> but we begin our coverage with the new details from washington. this morning, a white house doctor weighs in after president trump said he's taking the drug hydroxychloroquine. >> i happen to be taking it. >> hydroxychloroquine? >> i'm taking it, hydroxychloroquine. >> when? >> right now, yeah. >> reporter: the president has pushed the anti-malaria drug as a potential game changer in fighting coronavirus despite warnings about dangerous side effects and no evidence it actually works, and a doctor's note released overnight, the president's physician says after numerous discussions with trump, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks. the president, who is tested regularly for coronavirus, said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him, but he requested it as a preventive measure. >> can you explain, sir, though,

what is the evidence that it has a preventive effect? >> here you go, you ready? here's my evidence. i get a lot of positive calls about it and i say, hey, the expression, what do you have to lose, okay, what do you have to lose? >> reporter: the president says he started taking the drug along with zinc around the same time cases confirmed in the west wing. >> look at the time line here. the president says he has been taking it for a week and a half. that means he began taking it just days or perhaps the day after his personal valet tested positive for coronavirus and also the vice president's press secretary. >> reporter: just last month the fda warned against using the drug outside hospitals or clinical trials because it could cause heart problems. initial studies on those infected has shown limited or no proven benefits. >> a lot of things have come out about the hydroxy. a lot of good things have come out. you'd be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the frontline workers before you catch it. the frontline workers, many, many are taking it. >> reporter: also this morning

critics once again pointing out president trump has refused to wear a face mask as a preventive measure, which doctors say could do more to limit the spread of the virus. the last results of his physical exam in 2019 showed he was in very good health but his body mass index fell within a category that tends to be at higher risk for heart disease. overnight house nancy pelosi voicing concern. >> as far as the president is concerned, the -- our -- he's our president, and i would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say, weight group, he's morbidly obese, they say. >> reporter: in the meantime, a possible break in the case. moderna says its first experiment at vaccine to be tested in human beings is testing promise. 45 patients in the test developed the same level of antibodies as someone who has recovered from covid-19. the company then tested the blood of eight of those patients against the actual coronavirus. and in all eight cases the virus

was killed. >> the fact that the moderna vaccine has been shown to be safe and generate a robust immune response in numbers of patients is very promising. but now it has to be proven in larger numbers. >> reporter: sean doyle is a volunteer who received two doses of the experimental vaccine. >> i'm happy to say after the first dose i didn't experience any side effects and the same is true after the second dose as well. >> moderna now moves on to phase two testing when 600 patients will get the two shots and hopes it can be ready by the end of the year. more states are lifting restrictions allowing gyms and salons to open, even paving the way for sports. but more businesses are asking governors to clarify the rules. here's abc's andrea fujii. >> reporter: this morning, major steps to re-open more of america. in texas, gyms and hair salons already operating just days after the state saw its highest one-day increase in coronavirus cases. hundreds of them tied to

meatpacking plants. >> when we increase testing in hot spots, the number of people testing positive is going to then what we find is that the flare-up is contained. >> reporter: the governor also announcing youth sports can hold practices at the end of the month and summer camps can begin. in california, the governor relaxing some criteria now allowing 53 out of 58 counties to move into phase two of re-opening thanks to a drop in hospitalizations. he says pro sports, hair salons and churches may be able to open in june. new york's governor also saying his state is ready for sports to restart without fans. >> new york state will help those major sports franchises to do just that. >> reporter: despite recent cases of the virus on the rise in ten states, plans to re-open are still in place. massachusetts becoming the 49th state to start to re-open. connecticut to follow tomorrow. spreading the virus is a big concern after scenes like this

at bars and restaurants, even on hiking trails. patio only dining has opened in ohio, but multiple restaurants received citations after owners admit social distancing was hard to control. 's now feet from the other table. health inspector shows up and gave me a warning. >> reporter: as more factories re-open, not everyone is happy about returning to work. more than 130,000 autoworkers back on the job in michigan for the first time in eight weeks. >> we shouldn't be here. it's not fair. >> reporter: workers now getting screened with temperature checks wearing masks, gloves and protective eyewear. >> life is risk. i think this is a minor one i'm willing to take to put food on the table. >> reporter: and more colleges and universities are announcing their plans, some agreeing with the university of south carolina which plans to start school early with on-campus classes until thanksgiving before a transition to remote learning

in case of a second wave of coronavirus. the president held a phone call with the nation's governors on monday in which he told them he wants them to make their own decisions on when to re-open but also said he'll step in if he disagrees. kenneth and mona. >> andrea, thank you. amazon and jcpenney may be planning to join forces. just days after the department store tied for bankruptcy, the two companies were reportedly in talks and sources say it may be an opportunity for amazon to expand its apparel business. jcpenney plans to close about 240 stores. we turn to a deadly shooting on a florida military base and the alleged involvement of the al qaeda terror group. federal authorities now say a saudi aviation student who killed three people at the pensacola naval air station last december had links to al qaeda. investigators say they found evidence on his iphones. the justice department says he joined the saudi military to carry out a special operation after years of preparation. >> he wasn't just coordinating with them about planning and tactics, he was helping the

organization make the most it could out of his murders. >> both the fbi director and attorney general criticized apple for not helping to unlock the suspect's phones, but apple claims it did provide technical support. we turn now to the severe weather outbreak. tornadoes caused damage in ohio overnight. let's take a look now at your tuesday forecast. at least two tornadoes have touched down in ohio. this twister forming southwest of columbus, but no reports of any injuries. looking at the radar, heavy rain extends from georgia to the great lakes, and northern michigan evacuations were ordered near two dams. officials say one dam is in danger of failing. checking today's high temperatures, 60s and windy in new york, 70s from atlanta to kansas city. 93 in dallas, 60s in the pacific northwest. 89 in new orleans. coming up, the suspect in a

drug case who tried throwing his safe full of cash out the window. but first the hazing scandal forcing big changes at one of the country's top cheerleading programs. and up next, the growing (music) ♪

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we're back now with new details about the investigation into secretary of state mike pompeo and the firing of the state department's watchdog. top republicans are asking for an explanation. abc's alex presha reports. >> reporter: this morning president trump is defending the firing of state department inspector general steve linick who was investigating secretary of state mike pompeo. >> i was happy to do it. mike requested that i do it. >> reporter: according to congressman eliot engel, head of the house foreign affairs committee, linick was

investigating pompeo's declaration of an emergency last may to sell arms to saudi arabia bypassing congress. linick was also investigating pompeo's use of a staffer to run personal errands like dog walking and picking up dry cleaning. >> maybe he's negotiating with kim jong-un, okay, about nuclear weapons, so that he'd say, please could you walk my dog? do you mind walking my dog? you know what, i'd rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes because maybe his wife isn't there. >> reporter: pompeo tells "the washington post" he was unaware of the investigation saying, it was not possible that this decision was based on any effort to retaliation because i simply don't know. i'm not briefed on these investigations. pompeo said he fired linick because he wasn't happy with his performance. meanwhile, this morning, in a surprise move, attorney general william barr appears to be breaking ranks with president trump when it comes to investigating and prosecuting former president barack obama and former vice president joe biden. >> as long as i'm attorney general the criminal justice

system will not be used for partisan political ends. >> reporter: the president has suggested without evidence that obama and biden broke the law during the russia investigation. >> obama-gate, it's been going on for a long time. >> reporter: barr now declaring he doesn't see any investigation for a legal investigation. the president saying he's surprised by barr's decision. >> i think it's just a continuation of a double standard. >> reporter: barr didn't completely reject trump's claim but said not every abuse of power no matter how outrageous is a federal crime. kenneth and mona. >> all right, alex presha, thank you. a hazing scandal at the university of kentucky's cheerleading program has now cost four coaches their job. an investigation found squad members were not supervised during a retreat and other off campus events. investigators say cheerleaders took part in hazing, drinking and public nudity. it has a history of success winning 24 national titles in 35 years. well, coming up how helmets

in the nfl may be changing because of the coronavirus. but first a prominent surgeon is charged with killing his wife. how he allegedly got rid of her body. start farxiga now. farxiga, along with diet and exercise,... ...helps lower a1c in adults with type 2 diabetes. although it's not for weight loss, it may help you lose weight. do not take if allergic to farxiga. symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include rash,... ...swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing. stop taking and seek medical help right away. tell your doctor right away if you have... ...red color in urine, or pain while you urinate... ...or a genital area infection since a rare but serious genital infection may be life-threatening. do not take farxiga if you have severe kidney problems, are on dialysis,... ...or have bladder cancer. other serious side effects include dehydration, genital yeast and bacterial infections in women and men, urinary tract infections,... ...low blood sugar, and sudden kidney problems. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of ketoacidosis, which is serious and may lead to death. think farxiga now.

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because nothing should come between two best friends. feel the clarity, and live claritin clear. and we're back now with money falling from the sky. okay, actually it was a roof in england. police say that it was a safe containing $33,000 being tossed out of a window during a drug raid. both the suspect and the cash are now in custody. a surgeon from the boston area is held without bail charged with murdering his estranged wife. ingolf tuerk has pleaded not guilty but court documents say he admitted to killing his estranged wife, kathleen mclean. prosecutors say he admitted to dumping her body in a pond and weighing it down with rocks. it all allegedly happened after an argument. >> he said that the victim struck him on the head with an object. he wasn't certain what that object was but thought it might be a glass. he said that he reacted to that aggressive situation and that he had choked the victim.

he said that she was fighting at first and continued to choke her and that she passed out, and he realized they went too far. >> investigators say mcclean previously had a restraining order against her husband. back now to the coronavirus and the questions about the anti-malaria drug president trump is now taking. earlier i spoke with dr. alok patel. we talked about several issues including the progress and finding a vaccine and re-opening the economy, but we start with that malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine. good morning, dr. patel. thank you for joining us this morning. i really want to ask you about the shocking admission made by president trump that he has been taking the anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a preventive measure despite the fda warning about the associated risk. we also know that the president early on heavily touted the drug as a potential coronavirus treatment. i believe he used the word "game changer." what do you think about this announcement? >> i honestly wonder if the white house has any idea about the ramifications of these comments or these actions made

by president trump. he is not wearing a mask which is a strict cdc guideline yet he's taking hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis which is not recommended by anyone or the fda so this is just going to add a lot more confusion to people who already don't know what the right answer is. >> we reported on the progress moderna is making saying the first vaccine to be tested on people appears to be safe and effective. we know this is still very early in the process but how encouraging is this for you? >> it's early, but it is encouraging, and these eight people who went through the trial, they were shown to actually create neutralizing antibodies meaning the vaccine created antibodies that are not only shown in a lab to bind the virus, prevent it from getting into other cells, so you're right, it's early but we're going to see phase two which will involve hundreds of people and hopefully phase three which will involve thousands but this is a very good first step. >> today we got word that california and texas are taking big, new steps to re-open and as

we see infections dropping and fewer flare-ups, are you encouraged we are re-opening at the proper rate or still too early to tell? >> it's a little of both. it is encouraging that rates of infection are slowing, and, you know, it's possible we'll see spikes as we test more. everything being reported right now is showing it's not the entire states rolling out. they're really doing it systematically, but at the end of the day, there's going to be a reason to have everyone still follow the guidelines. to socially distance and wear masks and do everything because even if the states do everything they need to do, it still takes one person to cause an outbreak. >> our thanks to dr. patel there. >> coming up, america's new bicycle shortage. also the search for two suspects wearing watermelons on their heads. they can du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent, the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma.

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'cause i don't like you. nobody likes you, eddie. not even wally, and he's your best friend. >> well, "leave it to beaver" fans are celebrating ken osmond. he did such a good job playing the sneaky eddie haskell that he became typecasted. he eventually became a police officer growing a mustache so people wouldn't recognize him but in the end he said the role, quote, was good for him. osmond died in los angeles. he was 76 years old. well, for weeks we've been reporting on how the coronavirus is affecting sports. now the nfl is taking new action. >> yeah, players, may be getting a new layer of protection. league engineers are testing a new face mask that would include surgical or n-95 mask material to lower a player's risk for coronavirus. a growing interest in cycling has the u.s. facing a bike shortage. since the coronavirus outbreak, bike sales have more than doubled in some areas as more people feel the need to exercise and avoid mass transit. if you're in the market for a new bike, prepare for long wait

times. just as everyone wears a face mask these days but these face coverings are a little more unique. two men wearing hollowed out watermelons on their heads are accused of taking from a virginia convenience store, one has now been arrested. the other melon head is still on the run. >> melon head. the hipaa act, you know, allows privacy in health care but now the hippo act allows you to hug grandma. >> a nursing home near winchester, virginia, is allowing relatives to visit patients if they wear sterilized costumes, so one woman wore a hippo costume for a priceless hug with her mom. i saw my goddaughters over the weekend. i actually -- so we put a blanket over me so i could at least hug them. >> now you need a hippo costume. and how is this for fun? a family came home to find dad transformed their house into a giant ball pitthey weren't abled play because one of the kids

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simparica trio. making news right now at 4:27, another bay area county is hours from taking the next step in reopening but it will not be business as usual. play ball, maybe. governor newsom gives sports fans a bit of encouraging news. and then president trump makes a admission and nancy pelosi with a harsh response. we want to check in first with meteorologist -- oh, my goodness, drew, you are here with me again in the studio and i am happy. >> good morning, friend. you can see much of the region online, and doppler 7 is quiet however we still have an isolated threat of a shower and that threat is over union city.

you can see light to moderate rain falling over union city. i will put this in the loop over the past hour, and that shower is going to move past fremont towards sunol right now. temperatures in the mid-40s to upper 50s. 59, good morning, oakland. and 56 in the city. san francisco right now, it's a mix of stars and clouds out there and the day today as we fast-forward over the next 12 hours or so the sun is up at 5:56, and throughout the afternoon there's an isolated chance, not widespread. it's a warmer afternoon today with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. kumasi? >> thanks, drew. today in contra costa county, some shops will be open but only for curbside pickup. amy hollyfield is live.

>> reporter: here we go. >> we'll check back in with amy on this, but first we will tell you about something else. there's a new positive development in our fight against coronavirus. "the chronicle" is reporting for the first time since early march the bay area has gone without a covid-19 death for two straight days, so health officials in the nine counties reported no deaths on sunday or monday and this is the first time this has happened since march 10th. the region has only had one day of double digit deaths in the last two entire reddies to enter stage two, and newsom said he

soon expect to give 53 of the state's 58 counties to go ahead to move faster through phase two if they want to, and then some recently thought it could be months away, but it could happen in just a few weeks. >> our economy will open up again if we hold these trend lines in the next couple that weeks, and that includes, for example, getting a hair cut, pro sports in that first week or so of june. >> all i heard was hair cut. the governor says it is all thanks to hospitalizations and case data that is continuing to remain stable. president trump says he's been taking a controversial drug that he thinks can prevent coronavirus. jobina fortson is at the live desk with more on this. >> good morning, kumasi. a drug called