US President Donald Trump Trump faces a re-election battle this year, but his campaign has been upended by the pandemic.

Trump had voiced hope on Tuesday that the country could begin to reopen in a few weeks, but his top infectious disease advisor, Anthony Fauci, said the timetable would need to remain "very flexible", reported AFP.

The president had said that social distancing had caused too much pain to the economy, adding that he wanted the country "opened up and just raring to go by Easter", which is April 12.

Later, Trump appeared to retreat from his Easter goal at a news conference alongside Fauci.