President Trump on Thursday predicted a "big bounce" as he argued the U.S. economy will recover quickly from the massive hit it has taken because of the coronavirus pandemic -- despite 16.8 million Americans losing their jobs in just the last three weeks.

As he teased possible deals to help out the ailing airline industry and help oil prices recover, Trump said he was confident that the flagging U.S. economy would come back from the drubbing taken since it was effectively shut down from the current pandemic.

“The economy is just going to do very well,” Trump said at the daily coronavirus taskforce briefing at the White House. “I think we’re going to have a big bounce…we’re going to open up very strong.”