Published 09:20 IST, March 29th 2020
Donald Trump says 'Don't be a cutie pie' to reporter asking about Coronavirus ventilators
With 123,313 (8:30 IST) confirmed cases, the Trump administration faced serious flak for their apparent botched up response to the Coronavirus outbreak.
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US President Donald Trump failed to guarantee the availability of ventilators for patients in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. Leading the number of global Coronavirus cases, the United States shifted the focus of the disease from China to itself.
Claiming that the United States is in 'great shape', Trump further boasted that the country will have 'leftovers' to help other countries. On Friday, he also invoked a part of the Defense Production Act, requiring certain companies to produce ventilators. "Here's what I tell you. I think we're in great shape. Ventilators are a big deal. We are distributing a vast number of ventilators. I hope that we're going to have leftovers so that we can help other people, other countries," he said during a White House news brief.
However, when further questioned if he could assure that every person in need would have the access to ventilators, an irked Trump responded saying, "Look, don't be a cutie pie, okay? Nobody's ever done what we've done." And everything I took over was a mess."
A reporter just asked Trump, “Can everyone who needs a ventilator get one?”
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) March 27, 2020
Trump: “Look, don’t be a cutie-pie, okay?”
Every time you think he can’t get worse, he does it again.
pic.twitter.com/PNfP7Ax1A6
Rejects need for ventilators
Trump on Thursday rebuffed the need for new ventilators by the New York Governor to treat the patients affected by COVID-19. The biggest cluster by far has been in New York, which has become the home to almost half the cases, overwhelming the hospital system. With 123,313 (8:30 IST) confirmed cases, the Trump administration faced serious flak for their apparent botched up response to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Two days ago, Trump told Fox News, "I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be." "I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know you go into major hospitals sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators?" he added.
09:20 IST, March 29th 2020