Good evening. @realDonaldTrump is going to hold a press briefing starting soon. @CDCgov head Dr. Redfield is present, as is @FEMA_Pete and @Surgeon_General. Dr. Fauci is not present today. Follow along, here we go.
.@realDonaldTrump opens the briefing by saying admin is "working very hard" on getting a group of Americans out of Peru and Honduras.
"We were able to get a young woman released from a certain area who was being horribly accosted, horribly treated," @realDonaldTrump says (whatever that means).
Trump says "we are profoundly grateful" for state/local leaders, first responders, etc, adds that it's important for Americans to follow federal "slow the spread" guidelines (which are far less strict than what many states have implemented).
Trump now calling #Coronavirus "the hidden enemy," yesterday was "the invisible enemy."
Says he's working "urgently" on #Coronavirus relief bill. "Our goal is to get relief to Americans as quickly as possible," says the economy will "skyrocket" as soon as this is over.
Says he's working "urgently" on #Coronavirus relief bill. "Our goal is to get relief to Americans as quickly as possible," says the economy will "skyrocket" as soon as this is over.
"It's going to be a tremendous day when we win the war," he says.
He is now announcing that he's signed orders allowing governors to call up national guard units, and that @fema will be paying for guard while governors remain in command.
He is now announcing that he's signed orders allowing governors to call up national guard units, and that @fema will be paying for guard while governors remain in command.
Trump says orders "give maximum flexibility to use the guard against the virus," as if soldiers will be shooting viruses with water guns filled with hand sanitizer.
"we have large quantities of medical equipment and supplies" on the way to states, including masks/ventilators, etc, @realDonaldTrump says, including "four large medical stations" to NY, eight to CA, three large and four small to WA. Delivered within next 48 hours.
Trump says USNS Mercy will deploy to Los Angeles, but neglects to note that it's still in maintenance.
"We're all working hard together, the relationship has really been amazing," @realDonaldTrump says of @NYGovCuomo.
.@realDonaldTrump is finally ordering the @USArmy Corps of Engineers to get involved in building "alternate care sites."
He is now rattling off how many pieces of medical equipment have been sent to various states.
He is now rattling off how many pieces of medical equipment have been sent to various states.
"The numbers are quite large and we have tremendous numbers of companies also making equipment," @realDonaldTrump says.
.@realDonaldTrump does not seem to grasp that National Guard troops are not "sent" to states because they are already in the states.
.@realDonaldTrump says the federal government "is sort of a backup for the states" re medical supplies, etc.
He announces that @honeywell will be expanding production of N95 masks for the Strategic Nat'l Stockpile, which will then be delivered to states.
He announces that @honeywell will be expanding production of N95 masks for the Strategic Nat'l Stockpile, which will then be delivered to states.
Still not invoking the Defense Production Act, it seems.
Now @realDonaldTrump announces "new public-private consortium" to "unleash the power of American supercomputing resources" to fight #coronavirus.
Sounds like a @jaredkushner thing.
Sounds like a @jaredkushner thing.
"We're working on certain hospitals where we may be doing some work," @realDonaldTrump says of @DeptVetAffairs.
Ugh. @realDonaldTrump is now lying about having signed VA Choice into law, again.
For the millionth time, it was signed into law by @BarackObama in 2014.
For the millionth time, it was signed into law by @BarackObama in 2014.
Now @realDonaldTrump is bragging about @DeptVetAffairs' poll numbers.
"We want to totally take care of our veterans, and that's what we're going," @realDonaldTrump says.
"Telehealth is becoming a bigger and bigger factor in medicine" (as opposed to a bigger factor in the hotel industry, I guess) --@realDonaldTrump
"How I feel is on Tuesday, they're going to be starting on Tuesday morning, we're going to have some medications delivered and we'll see if they work," @realDonaldTrump says of drug combos he's been promoting despite his lack of a medical degree.
.@realDonaldTrump says the drugs in question "are not killing people" even though many doctors warn that the drug combo he's been touting can cause heart problems in many patients.
#Coronavirus is back to being "invisible," rather than "hidden."
@realDonaldTrump is now mouthing words that are supposed to convey empathy, reading them off the page while looking down.
@realDonaldTrump is now mouthing words that are supposed to convey empathy, reading them off the page while looking down.
"as long as I am your president, you will have a leader who will fight for you and I will not stop until we win," @realDonaldTrump says, unable to not promote himself during a pandemic.
"I'm very proud to be your president, and it's just something that -- you're very special people," @realDonaldTrump says before ceding lectern to @FEMA_Pete.
.@FEMA_Pete now talking about stuff that @realDonaldTrump already talked about, but slightly more coherent.
He says USNS Mercy will have "the greatest impact" in Los Angeles, says it can be in position "within a week or less," which is good because it's in SAN DIEGO now.
He says USNS Mercy will have "the greatest impact" in Los Angeles, says it can be in position "within a week or less," which is good because it's in SAN DIEGO now.
.@FEMA_Pete reiterates that National Guard is *not* being *federalized* and will be under command of governors (as it usually is). He adds that martial law is not being declared.
Peter Navarro (aka "Ron Varra") says his job has gotten easier since @realDonaldTrump "signed the Defense Production Act" (it was signed into law by Harry Truman and has not been invoked by President Trump).
Navarro says "we're seeing the greatest industrial mobilization since WWII" on a *voluntary basis* thanks to "leadership of this administration" even though the Defense Production Act HAS. NOT. BEEN. INVOKED.
Navarro is now rehashing many of the things @realDonaldTrump has bragged about or taken credit for re companies voluntarily doing things over the past few days. NONE OF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INVOKED.
Navarro says @realDonaldTrump's non-invocation of the Defense Production Act has given him "quiet leverage...without the heavy hand of government," adds that the DPA still may need to be invoked and the White House "will not hesitate to do that" (THEY'VE BEEN HESITATING ALL WEEK)
Navarro adds that the White House *may* use the DPA to prevent hoarding and price gauging, which they could have been doing this entire time.
.@VP says over 254,000 Americans have been tested for #Coronavirus, with 30k positive tests.
@VP now praising @realDonaldTrump for his China travel ban even though most experts say travel bans are ineffective in a global pandemic.
.@realDonaldTrump back at lectern for "just a couple of little things," says new test will be "a game changer," and is once again buck-passing about having "inherited a broken system" (his administration "broke" US capability to detect outbreaks in China)
.@realDonaldTrump now talking about how the Mercy-class hospital ships are "incredible" (which is true, they are both pretty cool ships). Says USNS comfort will be heading to New York in three or four weeks once maintenance is complete, possibly to New York City.
Informed that @MittRomney is now self-isolating because of contact with @RandPaul," @realDonaldTrump sarcastically says: "Gee, that's too bad."
Asked if he was exhibiting sarcasm, @realDonaldTrump replies"None whatsoever."
.@realDonaldTrump now talking about importance of helping corporations get back to where they were before #coronavirus.
Says he wants companies "to use the money for the workers," adds "I don't want any stock buybacks."
Says he wants companies "to use the money for the workers," adds "I don't want any stock buybacks."
.@realDonaldTrump now saying Republicans want to get an agreement with Dems on unemployment insurance. Democrats are pushing cash payments outside of unemployment insurance, which doesn't cover contractors, gig workers, et cetera.
"We can't let the cruise lines go out of business," @realDonaldTrump says of cruise ship companies (which almost never register their ships in the US to avoid US taxes and US labor laws while mostly employing foreigners).
Asked about DPA, @realDonaldTrump says "the fact that I signed it, it's in effect," and claims that he is currently using it (HE IS NOT).
He's now unfavorably comparing invoking the Defense Production Act to Venezuelan socialism for some reason.
He's now unfavorably comparing invoking the Defense Production Act to Venezuelan socialism for some reason.
.@realDonaldTrump now saying that invoking the DPA is bad because companies don't know how to make ventilators (which is irrelevant because under the DPA, federal government can provide specifications for whatever it needs to companies).
.@realDonaldTrump says not invoking the DPA is somehow better than invoking it.
He's now recalling how many governors said nice things about him during a recent videoconference at @FEMA.
He's now recalling how many governors said nice things about him during a recent videoconference at @FEMA.
.@realDonaldTrump now asked about the China-based @CDCGov position which his administration eliminated, is passing the buck to Dr. Redfield after suggesting @reuters report is "100% wrong" and bragging about having increased CDC funding.
Asked whether the 15 days to slow the spread will be extended, @realDonaldTrump is noncommittal, says "we are looking...very strongly" at allowing members of Congress to vote remotely (even though as President, he has nothing to do with the rules for the House or Senate).
@markpmeredith asks about the woman he spoke of earlier, @realDonaldTrump says "bad things were happening...in a certain country" but declines to add more other than praising Gen. Milley. Says "they got her out" and she's back w/ parents.
.@realDonaldTrump responds to @markpmeredith q on reaching out to predecessors by praising his "incredible" team, touts poll numbers, taking a swipe at @BarackObama over H1N1.
"I don't want to disturb them...I don't think I'm gonna learn much," he says.
"I don't want to disturb them...I don't think I'm gonna learn much," he says.
.@realDonaldTrump adds that there's a "natural inclination not to call" predecessors, but he would if he thought it would save just one life.
.@realDonaldTrump once again suggesting that single-use masks be sterilized, says "we have a sterilization process that is working very hard" in response to a question about @BilldeBlasio's call for him to invoke the Defense Production Act.
Asked whether he'd commit to his company not receiving federal bailout funds, @realDonaldTrump complains that no one thanked him for not taking a salary or agreeing to not remain in charge of the @Trump Organization.
He doesn't actually answer the question.
He doesn't actually answer the question.
.@realDonaldTrump now talking about testing drug combinations, asks why drugs should be tested "in a test tube" when there are people to test the drugs on.
Now @realDonaldTrump is saying that China should have told the US about #Coronavirus earlier, despite the fact that he praised Xi's response and said he believed Xi's claims about China's progress in fighting the virus.
Asked if undocumented persons should worry about being tested, @realDonaldTrump defers to @Surgeon_General, who echoes prior statements about prioritizing tests for hospital inpatients, which is a pretty good sign that test capacity is *NOT* what it should for testing everyone.
.@realDonaldTrump says undocumented people can and should be tested.
"We will test those people," he says.
"We will test those people," he says.
Asked whether medical supplies in European factories could be given a @US_FDA waiver to be used in the US, @realDonaldTrump falsely claims that US standards are higher.
Asked again about whether he'd commit to the @Trump organization not taking bailout money, @realDonaldTrump claims that being president costs him "billions," including legal costs (many of which are paid by the RNC), and tells a story about being booed at a charity event.
"I'm glad that this team and me are here for this horrible thing...I'm a wartime president...it's a war..." --@realDonaldTrump
Asked about whether the US should commit funds to help other countries fight the global #COVID19 pandemic, @realDonaldTrump says the US is already helping because of PEPFAR (anti-HIV program in Africa) and other foreign aid programs.
Asked whether his administration would rethink backing the Texas lawsuit to eliminate Obamacare, @realDonaldTrump says "what we want to do is get rid of the bad health care and put in a great health care," adds that the @GOP is "fully backing pre-existing conditions..."
.@realDonaldTrump adds that he'd back a replacement plan with pre-existing conditions.
"We are running the bad health care better than it was ever run...what we want to do is terminate it," he says, but again says that he'd back a plan to cover pre-existing conditions.
"We are running the bad health care better than it was ever run...what we want to do is terminate it," he says, but again says that he'd back a plan to cover pre-existing conditions.
