TMZ.com

Sorry folks ... even if you like Donald Trump, come on -- now he thinks the coronavirus scare is something the media has cooked up to defeat him in November.

Trump flew off the handle on Twitter, saying, "The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success."

He goes on ... "The real people want to get back to work ASAP."

So, he says the media is the "dominant force." Well, Mr. President, how about Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has cautioned about the desperate need to flatten the curve? How about the Governor of New York, who has held daily news conferences begging people to stay inside and warning this could last a long time?

By the way ... you actually think people other than "the real people" don't want to get back to work? Absurd, and offensive.

How about a reality check. Trump is acting like this is all a media concoction, at the same time he's using his daily briefings in place of his campaign rallies ... trying to tell the world what a great job he's doing. He's essentially the M.C. of a news conference that doesn't need an M.C.

BTW ... 870 people have died so far in the U.S. alone, and DOCTORS think it's going to get worse.

Members of Congress don't want to talk about one thing -- at least based on numerous calls we made Monday -- why on Earth they left the Senate gym open for business in the middle of this pandemic.

It appears the gym is finally closed. We called the number for the gym and it's gone to voicemail all day.

We also called a number of Senators' offices, but we didn't get any answers. For example, Speaker McConnell's office directed us to the House Rules Committee and we were told to email a staffer which we did -- so far, no response as to the status of the gym.

As we reported, Senator Rand Paul has tested positive and he exercised in the Senate gym on Sunday. Other members have now self-quarantined because they came in contact with Paul while conducting business. What's unclear ... were the Senators with whom he came in contact with at the gym?

It's pretty remarkable ... virtually everyone knows, gyms around the country have been shut down because they're breeding grounds for the virus. Dozens -- even hundreds -- of people touching the same equipment every day and sweating on it.

This isn't the only dangerous situation on the Hill. TMZ broke the story ... some members of Congress bitterly complained over the last 3 weeks the Capitol should be locked down.  Visitors and lobbyists filled the halls and the Senate offices ... people who have flown in from all over the country.

The leadership from both sides declined to take that drastic measure. Several House members tell us the leaders were afraid of triggering a national panic. But, we need our representatives healthy, and clearly more should have been done.

One of the members we spoke with told us he's tested positive for the coronavirus. It has not yet been reported, but he tells us he's self-quarantining.

President Barack Obama sent a heartfelt, admiring letter to blues legend B.B. King just a month before he died, and the unique piece of history can be yours for ... for a pretty penny.

The personally signed piece of White House stationery -- equipped with the presidential seal on top -- was sent to an ailing King in April 2015 as he was dealing with multiple health issues caused by high blood pressure and diabetes.

Obama wrote he had heard of B.B.'s challenges and wanted to send him his "warmest wishes during this trying time."

44 went on to heap praise upon "The King of the Blues," saying, King had touched hearts, moved souls and lifted spirits for decades ... clearly, Barack was trying to do the same for B.B.

Obama ended the letter by saying he and Michelle were thinking of him and sending prayers.

This wasn't the first connection between the African-American icons ... the 2 shared the stage in 2010 at the National Christmas Tree Lighting.

The letter's up for grabs at Moments In Time via King's granddaughter Sylvia Williams, who says her mother gave it to her years ago. She says B.B. never imagined there would be a president of color in his lifetime ... let alone receive a personal letter from one.

King died in May 2015 -- just over a month after Obama sent this letter -- from vascular dementia caused by a series of small strokes as a consequence of his type 2 diabetes. Before he died, his daughters claimed he was a victim of elder abuse by his longtime manager -- and even alleged he may have died by poisoning -- but his autopsy showed no evidence of that.

Obama's get-well letter to King can be purchased for $17,500.

There is a quiet panic going around behind the scenes at the House of Representatives because some members tell TMZ they sounded a warning 3 weeks ago about the Capitol being unsafe but they weren't heeded ... and now some fear they have the coronavirus.

The members we spoke with -- who only wanted to talk on background -- tell us, about 3 weeks ago when the problems associated with coronavirus started blowing up they began talking about limiting or excluding visitors from the Capitol.

It was an especially busy time, because the House was putting together spending bills and people were flying in from all over the country to lobby members. There were also lots of visitors who came by and interacted with a number of members. We're told the hallways were packed.

One congressman told us, "No one took this seriously. Leaders from both sides initially said they didn't want to panic people. We're told the leaders ultimately consulted the Congressional doctor, but as one congressman said, "He was scared to make a decision because he was afraid he would trigger a national panic."

A congressman we spoke with says he believes he has the virus and is exhibiting mild symptoms and he has self-quarantined. He also says, "I think lots of us [representatives] are going to get it."

The House is currently not in session, but there's a big problem. The Senate is in session and is hopefully going to pass a relief bill soon. The House members have gone home, and the only way they can approve the bill without flying to D.C. is if the vote is unanimous.

If one member wants to vote no on the bill, the traditional solution would be for members to fly to D.C. to cast their votes. But, putting 435 people on airplanes -- especially when there's fear some of the members have or were exposed to the virus -- it's super risky. We're told there's talk of flying 40 at a time or figuring out some way of keeping people away from each other.

No decisions have been made on what to do if the vote is not unanimous.

As for the other chamber ... as we reported, Senator Rand Paul has tested positive and incredibly he was at the Senate gym today swimming. The fact the Senate gym is open when gyms across the country have closed because a gym is a breeding ground for the virus ....well, it's just baffling.

Rand Paul says he's tested positive for the coronavirus ... making him the first U.S. Senator to contract the disease.

The Kentucky legislator made the announcement Sunday on Twitter, writing ... "Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events." He continued, "He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person."

Sen. Paul followed up by saying he'll continue working while in isolation, adding his staff should be in the clear here too. His account explains in detail, writing ... "He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time. Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul."

Again, Rand Paul appears to be the very first of his colleagues on the Hill to have contracted coronavirus. Funny enough, he's kinda been one of a few lawmakers fighting a new bill that would cover Americans' sick leave and essentially put money into their pockets.

He's argued that the response requires over a trillion dollars in federal spending, and insists the economy simply cannot sustain that -- even in these dire times.

Wonder how he's feeling about that now?

Get ready to settle in, because the coronavirus quarantine will probably last into June ... this according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Mnuchin appeared on Fox Sunday and said he expects the outbreak to last 10 to 12 weeks. For 80 million Americans -- and the number will almost certainly grow -- that means staying at home until it's safe to venture out.

Of course, Mnuchin's not a doctor, and much of the info coming out of The White House has been a combo of alarming and inaccurate.

As for why it took the federal government so long to respond, Mnuchin said, "Nobody expected this to take off at the rate it did." Thing is ... The White House got word there was a big problem just after New Year's.

Joe Biden picked what will probably be his last debate with Bernie Sanders to make a big announcement ... if he gets the nomination, he's picking a woman to run with him.

Biden left no wiggle room. He said there are women in this country who, right now, are capable of being President of the United States, and he intends to pick one of them.

So, the obvious candidates ... Senators Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris. But hey, what about Hillary? Remember, she said "I never say never." And her new Hulu doc is pretty great.

Not to be outdone ... Bernie also said he would almost certainly pick a woman, but it doesn't look like he'll have that opportunity.

President Trump had a strong message for Americans who are flocking to their local grocery stores and clearing the shelves in a frenzy -- take a chill pill, yo ... please and thanks.

DT and his coronavirus team -- including Pence -- hit up the Press Room Sunday for an update on the global pandemic ... which is spreading by the day here in the States. Trump started with good news for Wall Street ... federal interest rates were just cut to 0%-0.25%!

He then hopscotched to a discrepancy that Google cleared up about a website they're launching for coronavirus related information -- something Trump alluded earlier last week, but which was fact-checked as Google's parent company, Alphabet, handling it.

Google eventually came out and backed Trump -- whom people criticized for spreading, at first, seemingly incomplete info -- and DT hit that point home at the podium.

He did a mic drop of sorts ... you can watch for yourself.

Anyway, then came the directive from POTUS himself straight to the American people ... many of whom are panic buying and stockpiling supplies right now ... while leaving the shopper behind them high and dry. Trump says he's spoken to a bunch of grocery store CEOs ... and they asked him to deliver a message -- STOP BUYING STUFF YOU DON'T NEED!!!

Donald had his own way of putting it, but you get the picture. He says stores will remain open during these crazy times and they'll continuously try to keep restocking products.