>> AGAIN, WE ARE STANDING BY IN
THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING
ROOM AS REPORTERS ARE WAITING
FOR THE BRIEFING BY THE WHITE
HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE
HEADED BY VICE PRESIDENT PENCE
MEGUMI YOKOT -- VICE PRESIDENT
PENCE.
WHILE WE WAIT, WE WILL LISTEN TO
SOME OF YOU RECALLS FROM THIS
MORNING.
-- SOME VIEWER CALLS FROM THIS
MORNING.
X WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, HOW
IT HAS AFFECTED YOUR LIFE.
>> FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE AND I
ARE STILL WORKING ALTHOUGH I AM
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY MOTHER
AND MOTHER-IN-LAW BECAUSE THEY
BOTH SUFFER FROM SOME UNDERLYING
HEALTH ISSUES.
THE REASON I CALLED, THIS VIRAL
EPIDEMIC AND ECONOMIC ISSUES ALL
POINT TO THE CATASTROPHIC
FAILURE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
COMMUNIST CHINA.
IT IS INSANE WHAT OUR COUNTRY
HAS DONE ECONOMICALLY, AND NOW
WE CANNOT GET THE MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT AND PHARMACEUTICALS
CLEANUP BECAUSE ALL OF IT IS
SOURCED FROM CHINA.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE PAST
30 YEARS HAS BEEN INSANE.
WE NEED TO EXAMINE THIS
POLITICAL FAILURE.
THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE OCCURRED
ANYWAY, BUT NOT AT THE SCALE AND
SPEED IT HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF
THE HEADLONG RUSH.
>> THE TRUMP TRADE ADVISOR PETER
NAVARRO SAYING THAT THE U.S. IS
TOO RELIANT ON OVERSEAS MEDICAL
SUPPLIERS, INCLUDING IN CHINA.
ELLEN, IN INDIANA, HOW HAS THIS
VIRUS CHANGED YOU IN YOUR LIFE?
>> I AM ONE OF THOSE ENDANGERED
SPECIES THAT HAS DIABETES, I
HAVE A SUPPRESSED IMMUNE SYSTEM,
AND I HAVE HAD TWO HEART
ATTACKS.
I LOST MY HUSBAND SIX YEARS AGO.
HE WAS 56 YEARS OLD.
I HAVE SELF QUARANTINED MYSELF
NOW.
I WENT OUT THE LAST TWO WEEKS,
SPEND MONEY ON GETTING MYSELF
TAKEN CARE OF, TRYING TO FIND
TOILET PAPER AND MEAT.
EVEN WITH THE STORES I AM
GRATEFUL FOR, THAT HAVE SET UP
SHOPPING HOURS FOR THE SENIOR
CITIZENS.
IT IS STILL DIFFICULT TO FIND
CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO
TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
I AM AN EX POST WORKER.
MY HUSBAND WAS A POSTAL WORKER.
I MAY BE -- WHEN I GOT TO GET MY
MAIL.
IT TOOK ME A WHOLE WEEK TO TRY
TO GET SOME LYSOL SPRAY SO I CAN
SPRAY THE MAIL WHEN IT COMES IN.
>> A LOOK AT THE TOTAL CASES
WORLDWIDE, MORE THAN 307,000.
THIS NUMBER CONTINUES TO GO UP
ON JOHNS HOPKINS WEBSITE.
FROM THE SENATE FLOOR THIS PAST
WEEK, MITCH MCCONNELL AND CHUCK
SCHUMER WORKING ON NEGOTIATIONS
FOR A STIMULUS PACKAGE EXPECTED
TO EXCEED $1 TRILLION.
YESTERDAY, THIS FROM THE
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER
OF NEW YORK.
>> WE ARE WORKING AND WE ARE ALL
EAGER TO COME TO A BIPARTISAN
AGREEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF
PRIORITIES THAT DEMOCRATS
CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR IN THE
PACKAGE NOW BEING ASSEMBLED.
AS I MADE CLEAR, DEMOCRATS HAVE
TWO GOALS BROADLY DEFINED IN
THIS NEXT PHASE OF LEGISLATION.
ONE IS TO ADDRESS THE PENDING
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND ON WITH
A MASSIVE INFUSION OF RESOURCES
TO OUR HOSPITALS, MEDICAL
FACILITIES, OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE SECOND PRIORITY IS TO PUT
WORKERS FIRST.
OUR PROPOSAL, WHICH WE LAID OUT
AS EARLY AS MONDAY IS ENTITLED
WORKERS FIRST.
DEMOCRATS WANT TO DO AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE TO PAIR THEIR HEALTH
CARE SYSTEM, AND WE WANT TO GIVE
AMERICANS MOST IMMEDIATELY
AFFECTED BY THE ECONOMIC
SLOWDOWN AMPLE RELIEF SO THEY
CAN WEATHER THE STORM OVER THE
LONG HAUL.
>> MORE WITH THE SENATE TODAY
WHEN THEY GAVELED BACK IN THE.
PROCEDURAL VOTE AT 3:00.
A LIVE VIEW OF THE U.S. CAPITAL.
NEGOTIATIONS SET TO CONTINUE.
THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AT 11:00
A.M. EASTERN TIME.
THIS IS A TEXT MESSAGE FROM BILL
IN NEW JERSEY.
NORMALLY, I GO TO NEW YORK CITY
ONCE OR TWICE, NOW I AM SITTING
HOME.
IT IS VERY SCARY.
I HOPE WE GET THROUGH THIS.
ON TWITTER, --
FINALLY --
YOUR COMMENTS ON THE WEEK
AMERICA CHANGED.
WE WANT TO FIND OUT HOW ALL OF
THIS HAS CHANGED YOU.
LARRY IN MINNESOTA, GOOD
MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU?
CALLER: DOING FINE.
SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THIS
WENT THROUGH FORT LEONARD WOOD
IN 1971.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF PNEUMONIA
AND MALARIA.
I GET A REAL CHARGE OUT OF
EVERYBODY SCREAMING FOR A
BAILOUT.
MAYBE THE FARMERS JUST WON'T
TURN THE WHEEL.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WILL MEAN IN
SIX MONTHS.
WHATEVER YOU THINK HOW MUCH
EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD BE
GETTING, MAYBE YOU HAVE TO START
THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
>> YOU ARE NEXT FROM CALIFORNIA.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I AM DOING OK, THANK YOU.
I AM A SENIOR AND I ONLY GET OUT
WHEN I HAVE TO GO TO THE GROCERY
STORE OR DOCTOR.
I AM VERY UPSET THAT PEOPLE ARE
NOT OBSERVING THE SIX FOOT
DISTANCE.
I HAVE TO PUT MY HAND UP AND
SAY, PLEASE, SIX FEET.
I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
I CALLED MY DAUGHTER IN FLORIDA.
THEY WERE AT THE BEACH AND SAID
THE BEACH WAS FULL OF PEOPLE.
I THOUGHT THAT HAD BEEN CLOSED
DOWN.
I AM ALSO SURPRISED AT ALL THE
CARS ON THE ROAD, LIKE WHERE ARE
THESE PEOPLE GOING, AREN'T THEY
SUPPOSED TO BE HOME?
THE OTHER THING IS THAT I WISH
THAT EVERYONE WOULD CALL OR
EMAIL OR WHATEVER THEY ARE
SUPPOSED TO DO, THE STATE AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE HOUSE,
SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN, TO LET
THEIR WISHES BE KNOWN.
I FOR ONE DO NOT WANT MY TAX
DOLLARS TO BAIL OUT THE
AIRLINES.
I WANT A HEALTHY MOM-AND-POP
BUSINESSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE -- I WANT TO HEALTHY
MOM-AND-POP'S -- WANT TO HELP
MOM-AND-POP BUSINESSES.
>> A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH?
>> THEY ARE ABOUT TO COME UP
HERE.
THEY SHOULD BE HERE ANY SECOND.
I CAN TALK AS WE ARE WAITING
HERE.
HERE THEY COME.
PRES. TRUMP: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANT TO
MENTION WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD
ON GETTING A YOUNG GROUP OF
PEOPLE OUT OF PERU.
WE HAVE REMOVED SOME AND THE
REST ARE BEING REMOVED WITH THE
COOPERATION OF THE PERUVIAN
GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE ALSO DEALING WITH
HONDURAS IN GETTING SOME PEOPLE
OUT WHO GOT CAUGHT UP.
AGAIN, WITH THE HONDURAN
GOVERNMENT'S WORK.
THEY ARE WORKING WITH US.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER
LOCATIONS WE WILL REPORT TO YOU.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET A YOUNG
WOMAN RELEASED FROM A CERTAIN
AREA, BEING HORRIBLY ACCOSTED,
HORRIBLY TREATED.
WE SPOKE TO GENERAL MILLIE.
GENERAL MILLIE TOOK CARE OF IT.
WE WILL REPORT FURTHER ON THAT
ONE.
THAT WAS ROUGH STUFF.
I WANT TO THANK GENERAL MILLIE,
ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
INVOLVED THAT WENT INTO GET HER.
AS WE CONTINUE TO MARSHALL EVERY
RESOURCE, WE ARE PROBABLY -- WE
ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO OUR
NATION'S DOCTORS, NURSES, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, AND FIRST
RESPONDERS WAGING THIS BATTLE ON
THE GROUND.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT PEOPLE
CONTINUE TO FOLLOW GUIDELINES.
SO IMPORTANT ABOUT SOCIAL
DISTANCING, NONIMPORTANT TRAVEL,
AND HANDWASHING.
IT REQUIRES THE HELP AND
COMMITMENT OF EVERY SINGLE
AMERICAN.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, SENATOR RAND
PAUL, HE HAS BEEN A GREAT FRIEND
OF MINE, ALWAYS THERE WHEN THE
COUNTRY NEEDED HIM.
AS YOU KNOW, HE JUST TESTED
POSITIVE.
JOSE DIAZ-BALART, HE TESTED
POSITIVE.
IT IS GETTING CLOSER TO HOME.
I CALL IT THE HATED ENEMY.
I THINK THEY WILL ALL BE FINE --
I CALL IT THE HIDDEN ENEMY.
I THINK THEY WILL BE FINE.
I HOPE THEY WILL BE FINE.
WE ARE WORKING URGENTLY WITH
CONGRESS ON LEGISLATION TO
SUPPORT THE MILLIONS OF WORKERS,
SMALL BUSINESSES, AND INDUSTRIES
HIT HARD BY THE VIRUS THROUGH NO
FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET RELIEF TO
AMERICANS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
SO THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CAN
KEEP WORKERS ON THE PAYROLL.
THIS WILL HELP OUR ECONOMY.
YOU WILL SEE OUR ECONOMY
SKYROCKET ONCE THIS IS OVER.
IT IS A PENT-UP DEMAND, BUILT-UP
DEMAND.
I GUESS YOU HAVE TO SAY, WHO
KNOWS, BUT I THINK IT IS GOING
TO BE A TREMENDOUS DAY WITH --
TREMENDOUS DAY WHEN WE WIN THIS
WAR.
WE WANT TO WIN THIS WAR WITH AS
FEW DEATHS AS POSSIBLE.
TODAY, I AM ANNOUNCING ACTION TO
HELP NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, AND
WASHINGTON, TO ENSURE THAT THE
NATIONAL GUARD CAN EFFECTIVELY
RESPOND.
THE NATIONAL GUARD, THESE ARE
TREMENDOUS PEOPLE.
FULLY ON ALERT.
IT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED.
THESE ESTATES HAVE BEEN HIT THE
HARDEST -- THESE STATES HAVE
BEEN HIT THE HARDEST.
FEMA WILL BE FUNDING 100% OF THE
COST FOR NATIONAL GUARD UNITS TO
CARRY OUT MISSIONS TO STOP THE
VIRUS WHILE THOSE GOVERNORS
REMAIN IN COMMAND.
SO THE GOVERNORS, LOCALLY, ARE
GOING TO BE IN COMMAND, AND
WE'LL BE FOLLOWING THEM AND WE
HOPE THEY CAN DO THE JOB AND I
THINK THEY WILL.
I SPOKE TO ALL THREE OF THE
GOVERNORS TODAY JUST A LITTLE
WHILE AGO.
THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT
WE'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY'LL BE
DOING THINGS WITH OTHER STATES
HIT THE HARDEST.
THIS WILL GIVE THEM MAXIMUM
FLEXIBILITY TO USE THE GUARD
AGAINST THE VIRUS WITHOUT HAVING
TO WORRY ABOUT COST OR
LIABILITY, AND FREEING UP STATE
RESOURCES TO PROTECT THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE IN
THEIR STATE.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS
DEPLOYED HUNDREDS OF TONS OF
SUPPLIES FROM OUR NATIONAL STOCK
WHILE LOCATIONS WITH THE
GREATEST NEED.
IN ORDER TO ASSIST, I APPROVED
THE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION,
SOMETHING GOVERNOR CUOMO'S BEEN
ASKING FOR AND WHICH I AGREE WE
HAVE DONE IN VERY RAPID FASHION.
WE APPROVED THIS ON FRIDAY
EVENING AND WE ARE WORKING VERY,
VERY HARD TO GET ALL OF THESE
NOT ONLY SIGNED UP, BUT
COMPLETED AND FINISHED, AND WIN.
THE REQUEST FROM THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON FOR A MAJOR DISASTER
DECLARATION WAS APPROVED JUST A
LITTLE WHILE AGO.
WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE
MOVED IT VERY QUICKLY.
THE REQUEST FROM THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WAS JUST RECEIVED AND
WE WILL HAVE IT APPROVED VERY
QUICKLY.
I TOLD THAT TO GAVIN NEWSOM.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING ON
GETTING THAT DONE VERY QUICKLY,
MAYBE TONIGHT.
WE HAVE LARGE QUANTITIES OF
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
ON THE WAY, BASED ON ALL OF
THIS, TO THE STATES, INCLUDING
RESPIRATORS, SURGICAL MASKS AND
GOWNS, COVERALLS, AND GLOVES
ALREADY DELIVERED TO WASHINGTON
AND TO NEW YORK.
IN ADDITION TO LARGE QUANTITIES
OF SUPPLIES, I'VE DIRECTED FEMA
TO SUPPLY THE FOLLOWING: FOUR
LARGE MEDICAL STATIONS WITH 1000
BEDS FOR NEW YORK, EIGHT LARGE
MEDICAL STATIONS WITH 2000 BEDS
FOR CALIFORNIA, AND THREE LARGE
FEDERAL MEDICAL STATIONS,A ND
FOUR SMALL MEDICAL STATIONS WITH
1000 BEDS FOR THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON.
THE GOVERNORS KNOW.
THE SUPPLY IS IN ROUTE TO
CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK WILL BE
DELIVERED WITHIN THE NEXT 48
HOURS.
IN ADDITION, THE NAVAL HOSPITAL
SHIP, INCREDIBLE SHIPS, THESE
TWO SHIPS ARE INCREDIBLE, WILL
BE DEPLOYED TO LOS ANGELES TO
ADD EMERGENCY SURGE MEDICAL
CAPACITY.
AND THEY HAVE TREMENDOUS
CAPACITY.
THEY ARE REALLY SOMETHING.
I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT
SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN
DOING, AND NOW THOSE NUMBERS
HAVE GONE UP, AND JUST TO BE A
LITTLE MORE EXACTING, WE'VE DONE
A PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL FOR
MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
APPROVAL OF TITLE 32 NATIONAL
GUARD ACTIVATION FOR THE STATE
OF NEW YORK, WE'RE PROVIDING ALL
OF THIS AT NO COST TO THE
GOVERNOR.
SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO.
HE'S WORKING HARD.
WE'RE ALL WORKING HARD TOGETHER.
THE RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN
AMAZING.
BUT IT ALSO ENABLES A GOVERNOR
TO PROVIDE ROBUST NATIONAL GUARD
SUPPORT TO THE STATE.
AND THE 25% WE'RE GOING TO BE
WAVING THAT 25% COST.
WE'RE PICKING UP -- WE'LL BE
COORDINATING AND DOING SOMETHING
WITH SPECIAL PEOPLE.
MISSION ASSIGNMENT WITH THE U.S.
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT, TO BUILD OUT
ALTERNATE CARE SITES.
THEY'RE DOING VARIOUS ALTERNATE
CARE SITES, WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN
DESIGNATED BY NEW YORK.
FOUR LARGE FEDERAL MEDICAL
STATIONS OF 1000 BEDS.
THESE ARE VERY COMPLEX PLACES,
ACTUALLY, GREAT EQUIPMENT.
AND GREAT PEOPLE.
STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE
ORDER.
AND THIS IS AS OF A NUMBER OF
DAYS AGO, SO FAR DELIVERED TO
NEW YORK, AND THIS IS THE 19TH.
WE HAD THE N95 RESPIRATORS,
186,000 DELIVERED.
WE DELIVERED 444,078 SURGICAL
MASKS.
MANY HAVE BEEN DELIVERED SINCE
THEN.
FACE SHIELDS, WE DELIVERED
84,560 FACE SHIELDS.
SURGICAL GOWNS, 63,944.
COVERALLS, 352.
GLOVES, 245,486.
ALSO TO NEW YORK IN TERMS OF
WHAT'S BEEN DELIVERED JUST SINCE
THEN, THE NUMBERS ARE QUITE
LARGE.
AND WE HAVE TREMENDOUS NUMBERS
OF COMPANIES ALSO MAKING
EQUIPMENT.
FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON,
WE'VE DELIVERED 369,095.
SURGICAL MASKS.
THIS IS AS OF ABOUT THREE DAYS
AGO.
FACE SHIELDS, 63,788.
SURGICAL GOWNS, 107,850.
GLOVES, 240,376.
AND WE HAVE MANY, MANY THINGS
PENDING.
IT'S ACTUALLY NOT PENDING.
IT'S BEING FABRICATED.
IT'S BEING MADE.
ANDY'RE MOVING -- AND THEY'RE
MOVING.
FOR WASHINGTON, STATE OF
WASHINGTON, WE HAVE THREE LARGE
MEDICAL STATIONS, 750 BEDS.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE APPROVAL
OF THE TITLE 32 NATIONAL GUARD.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AGAIN, TO
BE VERY PRECISE, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE TITLE
3D TWO NATIONAL GUARD -- 32
NATIONAL GUARD.
WE'RE PROVIDING ALL THIS AGAIN,
LIKE IN NEW YORK, AT NO COST TO
THE GOVERNOR, MEANING GOVERNOR
NEWSOM AND THE STATE.
NO COST TO THE STATE.
IT ENABLES THE GOVERNOR TO
PROVIDE ROBUST NATIONAL GUARD
SUPPORT TO THE STATE.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
CONTROL OF THE NATIONAL GUARD.
THESE ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE
BEING SENT.
WE HAVE EIGHT LARGE FETA COAT --
FEDERAL MEDICAL STATIONS WITH
OVER 2000 BEDS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO CALIFORNIA.
AND THEN STRATEGIC NATIONAL
STOCKPILE ORDER, WE'VE ORDERED,
LIKEWISE, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF DIFFERENT ITEMS.
WON'T GO INTO THE EXACT NUMBERS,
BUT THE NUMBERS ARE VERY
SUBSTANTIAL.
BUT WE'RE HAVING A TREMENDOUS
ADDITIONAL NUMBER SENT.
AND WHATEVER THE STATES COULD
GET, WE SHOULD BE GETTING.
WE'RE SORT OF A BACKUP FOR THE
STATES.
SOME OF THE STATES ARE DOING
REALLY WELL AND SOME DON'T DO AS
WELL.
THE ONES THAT DON'T DO AS WELL
NEED MORE HELP.
BUT THESE ARE THREE STATES THAT
REALLY DO NEED HELP BECAUSE THEY
ARE HIT VERY HARD.
AND THE OUTPOURING FROM THE
PRIVATE SECTOR HAS ALSO BEEN
EXTRAORDINARY.
I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT
HONEYWELL, GREAT COMPANY, HAS
JUST ANNOUNCED IT WILL
IMMEDIATELY EXPAND ITS PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
MANUFACTURING IN RHODE ISLAND TO
PRODUCE MILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL
N95 MASKS.
THEY'RE VERY HARD TO GET.
THEY WILL BE IMMEDIATELY THEN
DELIVERED TO THE VARIOUS STATES.
THIS EXPANSION IS ALREADY
UNDERWAY AND IS GOING TO PROVIDE
A LOT OF JOBS FOR THAT STATE,
PROBABLY AROUND 500.
THE MASKS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BY
THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE USE OF
THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
EMERGENCY, AND FOR RESPONSE
WORKERS, PRIMARILY FOR RESPONSE
WORKERS.
THESE ARE VERY HIGH-END.
THIS EXPANSION IS IN ADDITION TO
HONEYWELL'S ACTION TO MORE THAN
DOUBLE PRODUCTION OF ITS
EXISTING EQUIPMENT PLANS.
THEY MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS AND THEY ARE DOUBLING AND
TRIPLING THEIR PRODUCTION.
THEY ARE GOING ROUND-THE-CLOCK.
TODAY, I'M ALSO ANNOUNCING THE
LAUNCH OF A NEW CONSORTIUM
ORGANIZED BY THE WHITE HOUSE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND IBM
TO UNLEASH THE POWER OF AMERICAN
SUPERCOMPUTING RESOURCES TO
COMBAT THIS CHINESE VIRUS.
TO COMBAT LEADERS, ACADEMIA, AND
GOVERNMENT WILL BE CONTRIBUTING,
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE
CONTRIBUTING A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS, THE COMPUTING RESOURCES
TO HELP RESEARCHERS DISCOVER NEW
TREATMENTS AND VACCINES.
THEY'LL BE WORKING ALONG WITH
NIH AND THE PEOPLE WORKING WITH
THIS.
BUT TREMENDOUS HELP FROM IBM,
AMAZON, GOOGLE, MICROSOFT,
M.I.T., POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE,
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGIES,
NATIONAL LABOR LABORATORIES, THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, AND
NASA.
THEY'RE ALL CONTRIBUTE INTO THIS
EFFORT AND THEY'RE FULLY IN
GEAR.
I ALSO WANT TO UPDATE YOU ON THE
STEPS WE'RE TAKING TO PROTECT
AND SERVE OUR COUNTRIES.
18 MILLION VETERANS, THESE ARE
GREAT PEOPLE, OUR AMAZING
VETERANS HAVE SHOWN LOYALTY TO
OUR GREAT NATION.
THIS IS A TIME THEY ARE IN NEED
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING
OUR LOYALTY TO THEM.
WE ARE VERY PROTECTIVE OF OUR
VETERANS.
WE ARE WORKING ON CERTAIN
HOSPITALS WHERE WE MAY BE DOING
SOME WORK, IN LOUISIANA, IN
PARTICULAR, AND SOME OTHER
STATES, VETERANS HOSPITALS.
WE'RE VERY PROTECTIVE OF OUR
VETERANS.
SOME ARE OF THE VERY VULNERABLE
AGE, AND SOME ARE NOT FEELING
WELL.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE STILL
SUFFERING THE WOUNDS OF WAR FROM
MANY YEARS AGO.
YESTERDAY, I SIGNED VITAL
LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THE G.I.
BILL WILL DISCOVER ASH COVERED
DISTANCE-LEARNING DURING THIS
EMERGENCY -- COVER
DISTANCE-LEARNING DURING THIS
EMERGENCY.
IN FEBRUARY, THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS ESTABLISHED 19
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'VE BEEN
TRYING TO GET DONE FOR MANY
YEARS, YOU WILL KNOW THIS FROM
FOLLOWING ME OVER THE LAST
NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT WE GOT IT
DONE PRETTY QUICKLY.
THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT
DONE, FOR MANY MANY DECADES,
WITH CHOICE.
AND ALSO VETERANS
ACCOUNTABILITY.
NOW, IF IT'S CREDIT -- IF --
CROWDED -- IF THEY CAN'T GET TO
A DOCTOR -- WE HAVE GREAT
DOCTORS, AS GOOD AS THEY COME --
BUT IT'S HARD TO GET TO THEM
BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS BUREAUCRACY,
BUT NO LONGER BUREAUCRACY.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS, IN
THAT CASE, BECAUSE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF PEOPLE AREN'T DOING THEIR
JOBS OR IF THEY'RE THAT OR
SADISTIC OR ANYTHING THAT
HAPPENS, WE ARE NOW ALLOWED TO
FIRE THEM.
I SIGNED THAT A YEAR AND A HALF
AGO.
FOR MANY YEARS, YOU WEREN'T ABLE
TO DO THIS.
I WAS JUST TOLD BY OUR GREAT
LEADER AT THE V.A., ROBERT
WILKIE, HE SAID FOR THE FIRST
TIME, WE'VE GOT THE HIGHEST
MARKS IN THE HIST -- HIGHEST
POLL NUMBERS IN THE HISTORY OF
THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION.
CANNOT IT WEEK AGO -- CAME OUT A
WEEK AGO.
THEY'RE HAPPY.
HIGHEST IN HISTORY.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HAPPENED
IS BECAUSE OF VETERANS CHOICE.
THEY GO SEE A PRIVATE DOCTOR, WE
PAY THE BILL.
AND THEY GET BETTER.
THERE HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS OR
THREE WEEKS OR TWO DAYS, BUT
THEY GET BETTER.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY WAITED SO
LONG, THEY WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM
AND IT WOULD END UP BEING
TERMINAL BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T
GET THE KIND OF TREATMENT THEY
DESERVED.
SO, HIGHEST POLL NUMBERS,
HIGHEST APPROVAL NUMBERS IN THE
HISTORY OF THE V.A.
I WAS JUST GIVEN THAT
INFORMATION YESTERDAY.
WE RESTRICTED VISITORS ACCESS TO
135 VETERAN COMMUNITY LIVING
CENTERS, WHICH HAS IS NEARLY
8000 VETERANS WITH CHRONIC
MEDICAL CONDITIONS, SO THAT WE
LIMIT THEIR EXPOSURE TO THE
VIRUS.
WE WANT TO TOTALLY TAKE CARE OF
OUR VETERANS AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE DOING.
THE DA CANCELED MOST ELECTIVE
PROCEDURES.
THEY'RE DELAYING THEM UNTIL
AFTER THIS IS GONE, AFTER WE'VE
WON.
WE BEGAN PROVIDING LIFE-SAVING
CARE TO PATIENTS WHO HAD
SYMPTOMS ACROSS THE 171 V.A.
MEDICAL CENTERS NATIONWIDE.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, THE
V.A. HAS BEEN A LEADER IN
TELEHEALTH.
TELEHEALTH IS BECOMING A BIGGER
AND BIGGER FACTOR IN MEDICINE.
THIS MONTH, WE HAVE TAKEN BOLD
ACTION TO CUT THROUGH THE RED
TAPE AND MAKE TELEHEALTH
AVAILABLE FOR MILLIONS MORE
AMERICANS DURING THIS CRISIS.
THEY CAN SPEAK TO A DOCTOR FROM
THE SAFETY OF THEIR HOME RATHER
THAN RISK BECOMING INFECTED OR
MAKING A TREMENDOUSLY LONG TRIP,
WHEN FRANKLY, YOU'LL SPEAK TO A
GREAT DOCTOR RIGHT FROM YOUR
HOME.
IT'S HAPPENING, TELEHEALTH.
WE'RE VERY MUCH AT THE FOREFRONT
OF THAT.
IT ALSO TAKES A BIG BURDEN OFF
OUR SYSTEM.
WE CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE SAFE
AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES.
WE ARE ALSO AGGRESSIVELY
INVESTIGATING A NUMBER OF
ANTIVIRAL THERAPIES AND
TREATMENTS TO DETERMINE THEIR
POTENTIAL IN REDUCING THE
SEVERITY AND DURATION OF THE
SYMPTOMS.
AND YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL BECAUSE
HOW I FEEL IS ON TUESDAY,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE STARTING ON
TUESDAY MORNING, AND WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE SOME MEDICATIONS
DELIVERED THAT WE'RE GOING TO
SEE IF THEY WERE.
THEY CERTAINLY ARE EFFECTIVE IN
OTHER WAYS, AND THEY ARE SAFE
FROM THE STANDPOINT THEY'RE NOT
KILLING PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT.
SO, A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE
GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THAT
REGARD.
I JUST WANT TO FINISH AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO ASK A COUPLE OF
PEOPLE TO SAY A FEW WORDS THAT
HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THIS INCREDIBLE JOB
WE'VE ALL BEEN GIVEN.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW
THIS IS A CHALLENGING TIME FOR
ALL AMERICANS.
WE'RE ENDURING A GREAT NATIONAL
TRIAL.
AND WE WILL PROVE THAT WE CAN
MEET THE MOMENT.
I WENT TO ASSURE THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THAT WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN EACH DAY TO
ULTIMATELY DEFEAT THIS HORRIBLE,
INVISIBLE ENEMY.
WE'RE AT WORK.
IN A TRUE SENSE, WE'RE AT WAR
AND WE'RE AN INVISIBLE ENEMY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU FEELING ALONE,
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE ALL
JOINED TOGETHER AS ONE PEOPLE,
ETERNALLY LINKED BY OUR SHARED
NATIONAL SPIRIT.
WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY.
A SPIRIT OF COURAGE AND LOVE AND
PATRIOTISM.
NO AMERICAN IS ALONE AS LONG AS
WE ARE UNITED, AND WE ARE
UNITED.
WE'RE VERY UNITED.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING THINGS NOW
THAT THREE WEEKS AGO, THEY
DIDN'T TALK THAT WAY.
WE'RE VERY UNITED.
NO FORCE IS EQUAL TO THE
STRENGTH OF A UNIFIED AMERICA, A
UNITED AMERICA, AN AMERICA THAT
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
FOR THOSE WORRIED AND AFRAID,
PLEASE KNOW THAT AS LONG AS I AM
YOUR PRESIDENT, YOU CAN FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT YOU HAVE A LEADER
WHO WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR YOU,
AND I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE
WENT.
THIS WILL BE -- WE IN.
THIS WILL BE A GREAT VICTORY.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE A VICTORY
THAT, IN MY OPINION, WOULD HAVE
BEEN MUCH SOONER THAN ORIGINALLY
EXPECTED -- HAPPEN MUCH SOONER
THAN ORIGINALLY EXPECTED.
THE ENEMY IS ATTACKING 144
COUNTRIES AT THIS POINT.
144, THAT'S UNTHINKABLE.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE
THIS.
AND IT'S VICIOUS.
IT IS VICIOUS.
SOME PEOPLE RECOVER WELL.
AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE A HARD
TIME.
WE ALL KNOW THAT.
THOUGH WE WILL BE TOTALLY
VICTORIOUS.
WE WILL THEN GET OUR ECONOMY UP
TO A LEVEL THAT IT WAS, AND IN
MY OPINION, BEYOND, BECAUSE
THERE WILL BE A PENT-UP DEMAND.
THERE IS A PENT-UP DEMAND.
AND A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WILL
HAPPEN.
THE AND VERY PROUD OF OUR
COUNTRY.
I'M VERY PROUD -- BUT I'M VERY
PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY.
I'M VERY PROUD.
I'M VERY PROUD TO BE YOUR
PRESIDENT.
YOU'RE A VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE, SO
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
I'M GOING TO ASK A COMBINATION
OF PEOPLE.
PETE, WHY DON'T YOU START OFF?
REPORTER: THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE
ARE DOING IN WASHINGTON,
CALIFORNIA, AND NEW YORK.
WINTER STANDARDS OF THE AREAS
SEEING A STEADY INCREASE IN THE
CORONA VIRUS CASES.
IN ORDER TO ASSIST WITH
ADDITIONAL NEEDS, IDENTIFY THOSE
AREAS, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WAS
DECLARED A MAJOR DISASTER THIS
MORNING.
WASHINGTON STATE WAS ALSO
APPROVED TODAY.
CALIFORNIA SUBMITTED THEIR
REQUEST AND THE PRESIDENT WILL
CONSIDER IT IMMEDIATELY.
WE HAVE MEDICAL SUPPLIES EN
ROUTE TO THE STATES, INCLUDING
RESPIRATORS, SURGICAL MASKS,
GOWNS, FACE SHIELDS, GLOVES,
WITH QUANTITIES ALSO -- ALREADY
DELIVERED TO WASHINGTON,
CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK.
AND WE DISSIPATE ADDITIONAL
SUPPLIES TO BE DELIVERED OVER
THE NEXT 42 HOURS TO ALL THESE
STATES.
UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
UNPRECEDENTED NATIONAL EMERGENCY
DECLARATION, FEMALE -- FEMA IS
REIMBURSING ELIGIBLE MEASURES
TAKEN AT THE DIRECTIONAL
GUIDANCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS IN RESPONSE TO THIS
EMERGENCY.
ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA, FIVE TERRITORIES, AND
TWO TRIBES ARE WORKING DIRECTLY
WITH FEMA.
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FEMA
REGIONAL MINISTERS THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY, WE ARE WORKING TO
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF STATE AND
LOCAL OFFICIALS EVERYWHERE.
STATES, TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS DO
NOT NEED TO REQUEST SEPARATE
ASSISTANCE.
IT DOES NOT AUTHORIZE DIRECT
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
TO INDIVIDUALS, SUCH AS DISASTER
UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AT THIS
TIME.
JUST A NOTE ON THE U.S. AND HIS
MERCY, BASED ON ANALYSIS OF
POTENTIAL NEEDS FOR HOSPITAL
BEDS ON THE WEST COAST, A
DECISION WAS MADE THE SHIP WOULD
HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT IN
CALIFORNIA.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS
BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION TO DISPATCH
IT TO LOS ANGELES IMMEDIATELY.
THEY ADVISED THE MERCY CAN GET
INTO POSITION WITHIN A WEEK OR
LESS OF TODAY'S ORDER.
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MORE CASES
RIGHT NOW IN WASHINGTON, THE
PROJECTED NEED FOR BEDS IN
CALIFORNIA IS FIVE TIMES MORE
THAN THAT OF WASHINGTON.
THE MERCY WILL BE USED TO TAKE
PRESSURE OFF OF LOCAL HOSPITALS,
OTHER MEDICAL NEEDS, AND NOT FOR
TREATING COVID-19 CASES.
FINALLY ABOUT THE NATIONAL
GUARD, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
CONTINUES TO TAKE AGGRESSIVE
ACTION AND PROACTIVE STEPS TO
ADDRESS THE COVID-19 THREAT AS
WE ATTACKED THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY, OR PROTECT THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
THE NATIONAL GUARD IS EQUIPPED
TO ASSIST FEDERAL, STATE, AND
LOCAL AGENCIES WHILE SERVING THE
PUBLIC.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS NATIONWIDE
OPERATION, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
APPROVED WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA,
AND NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARD
UNITS UNDER TITLE 32 -- EXCUSE
ME, TITLE 32 STATUS UNDER THE
COVID-19 RESPONSE.
THEY PROVIDE THE NATION'S
GOVERNORS CONTINUE COMMAND OF
NATIONAL GUARD SPHERE HORSES --
NATIONAL GUARD'S FORCES.
THE NATIONAL GUARD IS A VIABLE
AND RESPONSIBLE AVENUE TO
PROVIDE MUCH-NEEDED ACCESS THE
ESTATE MANAGED AND FAIRLY
SUPPORTED.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS
TITLE THROUGH 32 -- 32
ACTIVATION DOES NOT FEDERALIZE
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS.
THERE STILL UNDER THE AUTHORITY
OF EACH GOVERNOR.
THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF
DISINFORMATION CIRCLING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S
UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS NOT
MARTIAL LAW.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WILL
LEAD THIS TASK.
AND FINALLY, WE CONTINUE RESPOND
TO HUNDREDS OF REQUESTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND FILLING CRITICAL
NEEDS.
THANK YOU.
PRES. TRUMP: THANK YOU, PETE,
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
GOOD EVENING.
WHERE I WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY
ABOUT IS THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION
ACT.
AND TO GIVE YOU THE OVERVIEW
HERE, USING THE FULL POWER
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND FULL
FORCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
MY JOB AT THE WHITE HOUSE IS TO
MAKE SURE, TACTICALLY, WORKING
WITH FEMA AND HHS AND THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS GET
THE GLOVES, MASKS, AND THE
EQUIPMENT THEY NEED.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, SIR, SINCE
YOU SIGNED THE ACT, MY JOB HAS
GOTTEN EASIER.
AND LET ME EXPAND WHY.
THE DEFENSE REDUCTION ACT, IN
THIS CONTEXT, HAS TWO PRIMARY
FUNCTIONS.
ONE IS MOBILIZATION OF THE
INDUSTRIAL BASE.
THE OTHER IS ALLOCATION OF
RESOURCES, BOTH FROM THE SUPPLY
TO THE MANUFACTURERS AND FROM
THE MANUFACTURERS TO THE
END-USERS, SUCH AS THAT HEALTH
CARE PROFESSIONAL.
NOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON A
PURELY VOLUNTARY BASIS BASED ON
THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION,W E'RE SEEING THE
GREATEST MOBILIZATION OF THE
INDUSTRIAL BASE SINCE WORLD WAR
II.
AN EVERYDAY, -- AND EVERY DAY
I'M WORKING WITH COMPANIES,
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEXTILE
ORGANIZATION AND SO ON, IN TERMS
OF BUILDING UP, RAPIDLY, OUR
CAPABILITY TO GET WHAT YOU NEED.
WHAT THINK ABOUT WHAT
MOBILIZATION MEANS.
IT CAN MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE,
REPURCHASING A FACTORY.
SO, PERNOD RICARD CALLED US LAST
WEEK, AND THEY HAD THREE HURDLES
THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH.
THEY CALLED MY OFFICE, HAD TO
MAKE A CALL TO THE TREASURY,
FDA, AND HHS TO CLEAR THE PATH.
WE GOT THAT DONE THAT DAY.
WE STARTED PRODUCTION THAT DAY,
MOVING FROM ALCOHOL BEVERAGES TO
HAND SANITIZERS.
AND AS WE SPEAK, A TRUCK IS
MOVING TOWARDS NEW YORK AND WILL
ARRIVE THERE TUESDAY TO SHARE
WITH THE HOSPITALS OVER A
THOUSAND GALLONS OF SANITIZER.
THAT WOULD BE A REPURPOSE.
A SECOND EXAMPLE WOULD BE ONE
THE PRESIDENT OFFERED WITH
HONEYWELL.
HONEYWELL CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE
ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE
PRESIDENT, AND WHAT THEY SAID IS
WE WANT TO DO THIS NEW FACTORY.
THEY CALLED ME ON A FRIDAY
MORNING.
AND BY THAT NIGHT, WE HAD A
CONTRACT IN TO HHS.
HHS PUT THAT IMMEDIATELY, AND I
HAD HONEYWELL MOVE PEOPLE AND
EQUIPMENT FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO
THAT FACILITY IN SMITHFIELD,
RHODE ISLAND, AND WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE THIS MASKS PRODUCED WITHIN
30 DAYS MOVING ON THE ASSEMBLY
CHAIN.
MY POINT IS MOBILIZATION IS
REPURPOSING, BUILDING UP
CAPABILITIES.
AND THE OTHER PORTION IS, OF
COURSE, THE ALLOCATION OF
RESOURCE.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU SO FAR IS
THAT THE DEFENSE REDUCTION ACT
HAVE GIVEN ME QUIET LEVERAGE.
IF YOU HAVE A STRONG LEADER, YOU
CAN TAKE A LIGHT HAND INITIALLY.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THIS
OUTPOURING FROM PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE, WE'RE GETTING WHAT
WE NEED WITHOUT PUTTING THE
HEAVY HAND OF GOVERNMENT DOWN.
THERE WILL BE, POSSIBLY, CASES
DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE
MANUFACTURERS HAVE ACTUALLY
ASKED ME AND ALERTED ME OF THIS,
WHERE SOME PLACES IN THE SUPPLY
CHAIN, THEY MAY HAVE PROBLEMS
THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WILL HAVE
TO BREAK THROUGH USING THE
DEFENSE REDUCTION ACT.
WE WON'T HESITATE TO DO THAT.
THE LAST THING I'LL TELL YOU IS
THAT I ALSO GET A LOT OF CALLS
THAT ARE VERY DISQUIETING.
BROKERS ARE OFFERING MILLIONS OF
ITEMS, WHETHER GOGGLES, MASKS,
WHATEVER, AND YOU GO THROUGH
THREE DIFFERENT BROKERS, TRACE
THEM TO A WAREHOUSE IN LOS
ANGELES AND THEY CHARGE YOU
SEVEN TIMES WHAT THEY COST.
THAT'S PRICE GOUGING.
MESSAGE TO THE HOARDERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY LARGE QUANTITIES
OF MATERIALS THIS COUNTRY NEEDS
RIGHT NOW, GET THEM TO MARKET OR
GET THEM TO US.
WE'LL PAY YOU A FAIR PRICE.
IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, WE'RE
GOING TO COME FOR YOU AND MAKE
SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THIS
COUNTRY.
SO I SALUTE YOU, SIR, YOU MADE
MY JOB EASIER AND I APPRECIATE
THAT.
>> THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
TASK FORCE MET THIS AFTERNOON,
AS WE DO EVERY DAY.
AND LET ME BEGIN TODAY BY SIMPLY
SAYING THANK YOU TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, AND THANK YOU FOR THE
WAY THAT PEOPLE ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY SEVEN DAYS INTO 15 DAYS
TO SLOW THE SPREAD.
PEOPLE IN COMMITTED THESE LARGE
AND SMALL ACROSS OUR
COMMUNICATING, NOT JUST ON
BEHALF OF THEIR OWN HEALTH AND
THEIR FAMILY, BUT ON BEHALF OF
THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US.
SO, ON BEHALF OF YOUR PRESIDENT
AND OUR ENTIRE TASK FORCE, JUST
THANK YOU TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS OUR
APPRECIATION TO THE GOVERNORS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE PRESIDENT TODAY JUST
ANNOUNCED ACTION IN NEW YORK,
CALIFORNIA, AND WASHINGTON STATE
AS A LATEST DEMONSTRATION THAT
THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SUPPORT THE
LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE AND
LOCAL LEVEL AS THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE CONFRONT THE SPREAD OF
THE CORONAVIRUS.
THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS UNDERWAY
BEING NEGOTIATED ON CAPITOL HILL
AS WE SPEAK.
THE BIPARTISAN SPIRIT THAT'S
TAKING PLACE THAT'S REFLECTED IN
ALL OF OUR INTERACTION WITH
STATE LEADERS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, IS A GREAT CREDIT TO
THE NATION.
BUT IT SHOULD BE A GREAT
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE
LEVEL, WORKING WITH COURAGEOUS
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ALL ACROSS
AMERICA, ARE COMING TOGETHER TO
MEET THIS MOMENT.
AND THAT IS THE WAY OUR SYSTEM
WORKS.
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES
AMERICA DIFFERENT IS THAT WE H
AVE A SYSTEM OF FEDERALISTS, AND
THAT BY PUTTING FEMA IN THE
LEAD, THE PRESIDENT HAS
EMPHASIZED THAT OUR RESPONSE TO
THE CORONAVIRUS IS, IN THE
ANTHEM OF FEMA, IT IS LOCALLY
EXECUTED, STATE MANAGED, AND
FEDERALLY SUPPORTED.
WE WANT THE PEOPLE ON THE
GROUND, THE DECISION-MAKERS, TO
HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
WE WANT STATES TO MANAGE THEIR
UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THEIR
STATE.
AND WHETHER IT BE LEGISLATION
MOVING THROUGH CONGRESS OR THE
EFFORTS THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED
TODAY, MAJOR DISASTER
DECLARATIONS, TITLE 32 ON THE
NATIONAL GUARD, RESOURCES
FLOWING, HOSPITAL BED FLOWING,
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE OUR
STATES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO
MEET THIS MOMENT.
OUR TASK FORCE CONTINUES TO
FOCUS ON THE PRIORITIES THE
PRESIDENT'S GIVEN US.
THEY ARE TESTING MITIGATION AND
SUPPLIES.
ON THE SUBJECT OF TESTING, AS IS
EVIDENT TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, TESTING IS MORE AND
MORE AVAILABLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE'LL BE DETAILING TOMORROW FROM
THIS PODIUM THE PROGRESS WE ARE
MAKING ON TESTS.
AT THIS DAY'S REPORTING, 254,000
AMERICANS HAVE BEEN TESTED AND
RECEIVED RESULTS IN CORONAVIRUS
TEST, WITH SLIGHTLY MORE THAN
30,000 ACTUALLY TESTING
POSITIVE.
THERE'S A BIT OF AN ENCOURAGING
WORD.
FOR EVERY AMERICAN, EVERYBODY
TESTED NOW, WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS, ARE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE SINCE --
SYMPTOMS.
AND AS OUR NUMBERS COME
INCONSISTENTLY, BECAUSE THE
254,000 DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE
LOCAL HOSPITALS OR ALL THE LOCAL
LABS IN OUR STATE.
IT'S WORKING OUT TO BE ONE IN 10
AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN TESTED
AND THOUGHT THEY HAD CORONAVIRUS
ACTUALLY HAD IT.
NINE OUT OF 10 DID NOT.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT
THE TESTING TO PROVIDE THAT
RESOURCE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE
TESTING HAPPEN FASTER.
WE EXPECT WORDS FROM PROTECTIVE
LABS WE SHOULD BE CAUGHT UP ON
TESTING BY THE MIDDLE OF THE
WEEK, AND WE ARE URGING TODAY,
ON THE PRESIDENT'S BEHALF, THAT
ALL LABS WOULD PRIORITIZE
INPATIENT TESTING..
LET ME SAY AGAIN, TO ALL THE
COMMERCIAL LABS IN THE COUNTRY,
YOU WILL RECEIVE GUARDS FROM HHS
TOMORROW.
THE ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT
AND THE WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS
TASK FORCE, WE ARE URGING ALL
COMMERCIAL LABS TO PRIORITIZE
INPATIENT TESTING.
WE WENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN
CHECKED INTO A HOSPITAL, THAT
ARE BEING TREATED FOR WHAT THEY
SUSPECT TO BE CORONAVIRUS, TO
RECEIVE THOSE TESTS MORE
QUICKLY.
ALSO, I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT
YESTERDAY, THE FDA APPROVED
EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION ON A NEW
TEST THAT SHOULD BE IN
PRODUCTION BY THE END OF MARCH.
IT ACTUALLY WOULD BE A
CORONAVIRUS TEST, THE RESULTS OF
WHICH COME BACK IN 45 MINUTES.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING, THE FDA
IS WORKING ON FASTER AND MORE
INNOVATIVE TESTS.
AS WE TOLD OUR GOVERNORS THIS
WEEK, GOVERNORS AND STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS SHOULD CONTACT FEMA
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON
TESTING SOLUTIONS.
LET ME ALSO SAY, TOMORROW, WHEN
WE GATHER AT THIS PODIUM, WE
WILL BE UNVEILING NEW GUIDANCE
FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS,
PEOPLE THAT WORK IN CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COUNTRY.
IT WAS IN EARLY MARCH CDC ISSUED
GUIDANCE FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE A
SYMPTOMATICALLY OR -- ASY
MPTOMATIC.
AND TOMORROW, AT THIS PODIUM,
CDC WILL UNVEIL IN COOPERATION
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY, NEW GUIDANCE, WHICH
WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO RETURN
TO WORK MORE QUICKLY BY WEARING
A MASK FOR CERTAIN PERIOD OF
TIME.
LET ME ALSO AMPLIFY A POINT ON
BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT AND
BEHALF OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT
ABOUT AMERICANS ABROAD.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE
UNITED STATES IS IN A DIFFERENT
POSITION TODAY THAN PORTIONS OF
EUROPE ARE AND CHINA AND
ELSEWHERE, IS BECAUSE THE
PRESIDENT SUSPENDED ALL TRAVEL
FROM CHINA.
HE SUSPENDED TRAVEL FROM EUROPE
AND THE U.K. AND IRELAND.
BUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS
WORKING AROUND-THE-CLOCK TO
ASSIST AMERICANS WHO MAY FIND
THEMSELVES OVERSEAS.
THEY'RE ABLE TO COME HOME.
THERE'S NO BARRIER FOR AMERICANS
COMING BACK TO AMERICAN SOIL.
THEY'RE SCREEN THROUGH A SERIES
OF AIRPORTS.
BOTH FLIGHTS BEING CANCELED,
SOME AMERICANS HAVE FOUND
THEMSELVES UNABLE TO FIND A WAY
HOME.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY
DILIGENTLY THROUGH THE STATE
DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS
THAT HAVE BEEN CHARTERED.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE
MILITARY FOR A BACKUP ON
FLIGHTS.
STATE DEPARTMENT HAS BROUGHT
MORE THAN 300,000 AMERICANS BACK
HOME -- 3000 AMERICANS BACK
HOME.
BUT SPEAKING TO THE SECRETARY OF
STATE, HE WANTED TO SHARE A
WEBSITE OR PHONE NUMBER FROM ANY
AMERICAN LOOKING ON FROM
OVERSEAS.
YOU CAN CALL THE SMART TRAVELER
ENROLLMENT PROGRAM AT 1-888
-407-4747.
OR YOU CAN GO ON NOT -- ONLINE
AT STEP.STATE.GOV.
THIS WILL ALLOW OUR EMBASSIES
AND CONSULATES TO GATHER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR
SITUATION AND WORK TO FACILITATE
TO BRING YOU HOME.
LET ME SAY, FINALLY, AS I BEGIN,
LET ME CLOSE, AS THE CHAIRMAN,
OR LEADER OF THIS WHITE HOUSE
CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE.
WE ARE SEVEN DAYS INTO 15 DAYS,
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
RESPONDING.
AS WE SPEAK ABOUT SUPPLIES, AS
WE SPEAK ABOUT TESTING, THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING EVERY AMERICAN
CAN DO IS HEED THE GUIDANCE AND
DIRECTION FROM YOUR STATE AND
LOCAL OFFICIALS, PARTICULARLY IN
AREAS WHERE WE HAVE WIDESPREAD
CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS.
FOR EVERY AMERICAN PUTTING INTO
PRACTICE THESE MEASURES THE
PRESIDENT ALLUDED TO IS A WAY
THAT WE CAN DO THIS, AMERICA.
WE CAN LESSEN THE MAGNITUDE OF
THE CORONAVIRUS IN OUR COUNTRY.
WITH THE COOPERATION,
COMPASSION, GENEROSITY, AND
PRAYERS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,
WE CAN SLOW THE SPREAD.
WE CAN PROTECT THE MOST
VULNERABLE.
AND WE CAN HEAL OUR LAND.
SO LET'S DO IT, AMERICA.
PRES. TRUMP: THANK YOU, MIKE,
VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MIKE.
SO, JUST A COUPLE OF LITTLE
THINGS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE SOME
QUESTIONS.
MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE SOME.
MAYBE YOU WON'T.
THAT WOULD BE A SHOCK, SHOCK THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY ON THE
TESTING, IF THIS WORKS OUT, THE
NEW TEST WOULD BE A SIMPLE ONE,
MUCH EASIER THAN THE EXISTING
TEST, WHICH IS QUITE COMPLEX AND
NOT A LOT OF FUN TO TAKE.
AND THIS WOULD BE A GAME
CHANGER.
BUT REMEMBER, WE INHERIT A
BROKEN, OBSOLETE SYSTEM.
IT WAS GOOD FOR A SMALL NUMBER
OF PEOPLE BUT NOT GOOD FOR THE
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, AND WE'VE MADE THIS INTO
A SYSTEM THAT NO MATTER WHERE
YOU GO IN THE WORLD, THAT'S
WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
THAT'S HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE
DOING SHOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS
HAPPEN AGAIN.
PEOPLE HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB
.
AND I HOPE THE NEW TEST WORKS
OUT.
WE'LL KNOW FAIRLY SOON, I THINK.
HOPEFULLY IT WILL CHECK OUT, OR
TEST OUT, AND WE CERTAINLY ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
IT WOULD BE A VERY SIMPLE TEST,
BY COMPARISON.
WON'T BE UNPLEASANT AT ALL.
AND ONE OTHER THING, THE SHIPS.
SO, WE HAVE THE MERCY, AND
THAT'S GOING TO CALIFORNIA, AS
YOU KNOW.
IT'S ON THE WEST COAST NOW.
AND YOU HAVE A SISTER SHIP
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A TWIN.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLE.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLE SHIPS.
I'VE SEEN IT.
I'VE SEEN ONE OF THEM.
AND THEY ARE UNBELIEVABLE, WHAT
THEY CAN DO IN THE CAPACITY.
MANY OPERATING ROOMS, THEY'RE
WARTIME SHIPS..
THEY'RE MADE FOR WAR.
THERE AS GOOD IS ANYONE IN THE
NATION.
I SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO, HAD
A GREAT CONVERSATION TODAY, A
NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS.
HE'S WORKING VERY HARD.
AND WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING
THAT SHIP THAT'S CALLED THE
COMFORT.
SO YOU HAVE THE MERCY AND THE
COMFORT.
THE COMFORT IS ON THE EAST
COAST.
THAT SHIP WILL BE COMING NEXT
THREE OR FOUR WEEKS.
IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF
MAINTENANCE AND WE ARE MOVING
THE MAINTENANCE VERY, VERY
QUICKLY, AND WE'RE ALSO
SUPPLYING THE SHIP
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
THAT SHIP WILL BE COMING UP HERE
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE PUTTING IT
IN NEW YORK HARBOR AND WE'RE
MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THAT
ALSO AS TO WHERE IT'S GOING TO
BE DOCKED.
SO YOU HAVE THE MERCY AND THE
COMFORT.
THEY'LL BE COMING UP.
THE MERCY WILL START QUICKLY.
THEY'LL BE ARRIVING IN LOS
ANGELES VERY SOON.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
QUESTIONS?
REPORTER: FIRST OF ALL, SENATOR
PAUL TESTED POSITIVE.
WOMAN'S WAS THE LAST TIME YOU
HAD CONTACT WITH HIM?
PRES. TRUMP: I THINK IT WAS
QUITE A WHILE AGO.
REPORTER: ON TOP OF SENATOR
PAUL, FOUR SENATORS ARE IN
ISOLATION
PRES. TRUMP: WHO ARE THEY?
REPORTER: ROMNEY, SENATOR LEE,
SENATOR RICK SCOTT ALSO.
PRES. TRUMP: RICK IS COMING UP.
-- COMING OUT.
ROMNEY IS IN ISOLATION?
GEE, THAT'S TOO BAD.
GO AHEAD.
REPORTER: IS THAT SARCASM THERE?
PRES. TRUMP: NO.
REPORTER: DO YOU THINK CONGRESS
SHOULD CHANGE THE RULES TO ALLOW
THEM TO VOTE REMOTELY?
PRES. TRUMP: I'VE BEEN THINKING
ABOUT IT TODAY AND I'M SAYING
IT.
YOU HAVE THE SENATE AND HOUSE
MEMBERS.
I SPOKE LAST NIGHT WITH A VERY,
VERY GOOD MAN THAT HAPPENS TO BE
IN THE HOUSE, AS EUNA.
EGYPT -- AS YOU KNOW.
HE TESTED POSITIVE.
YOU COULD HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN CONGRESS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING -- I
FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SHOULD
BE THERE.
I THINK IT MAY BE A
CONSTITUTIONAL REASON WHY YOU
SHOULD.
BUT IF WE COULD BE IN A POSITION
-- I WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN FAVOR
OF IT, WHERE THEY CAN VOTE FROM
A CERTAIN OUTSIDE LOCATION.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT TODAY.
WITH WHAT GOING ON, NOBODY'S
EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN THERE FROM CONGRESS.
THERE'S A REASON,
CONSTITUTIONALLY, AND THERE MAY
BE, BUT I WOULD BE TOTALLY IN
FAVOR OF IT ON A TEMPORARY
BASIS.
REPORTER: NEGOTIATION STILL HAVE
A WAYS TO GO.
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE
TIMING?
PRES. TRUMP: WE ALL WANT TO GET
TO THE SAME PLACE.
WE WANT -- AND I JUST WROTE THIS
DOWN A LITTLE WHILE AGO -- WE
WANT TO PROTECT THE WORKER VERY
MUCH SO.
SO DO THE DEMOCRATS.
WE ALSO WANT TO PROTECT THE
WORKER THROUGH THEIR COMFORT --
THEIR COMPANIES.
WE'RE GOING TO HELP THE WORKER
ANYWAY, BUT IDEALLY THEY GO BACK
TO WORK AT THEIR GREAT
COMPANIES.
YOU HAVE GREAT COMPANIES IN
FINANCIAL TROUBLE RIGHT NOW AND
WE NEED MONEY TO HELP THOSE
COMPANIES SO THEY GET BACK TO
WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, HEALTH.
MOST OF THESE COMPANIES FOR
WEEKS AGO WERE HAVING THE BEST
WEEKS THEY WERE HAD.
LAST YEAR WAS THE BEST YEAR FOR
ALL OF THEM, OTHER THAN BOEING,
WHICH HAD INCREDIBLE PROBLEMS.
BIG PERCENTAGE OF GDP.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK
WITH BOEING.
BOEING IS -- WAS A GREAT COMPANY
AND WILL BE AGAIN VERY SHORTLY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
IT'S CRAZY.
I DON'T WANT STOCK BUYBACKS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE
PROBLEM IS THERE BUT I KNOW
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T WANT STOCK BUYBACKS.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A BAILOUT
TO ACCOMPANY AND THEY USE STOCK
BUYBACKS AND RAISE THE PRICE AND
GET A BONUS, OK?
I MAY BE REPUBLICAN, BUT I DON'T
LIKE THAT.
I WANT THEM TO USE THAT MONEY
FOR THE WORKERS AND TO HELP THE
COMPANY.
THE AIRLINE BUSINESS, TO TAKE
CARE OF THEIR PLANES AND ALL OF
THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO,
INCLUDING BUYING NEW PLANES.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY
STOCK BUYBACKS.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE WITH ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS
ON THAT ONE BECAUSE I CAN'T
IMAGINE THAT'S TOO TOUGH.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE
OF OUR PEOPLE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THINGS
COMING UP.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THE
ELEMENTS THAT THEY'RE TALKING
ABOUT, DOWN TO 95% OF THINGS YOU
WOULD THINK THEY WOULDN'T AGREE
AND YOU WOULD THINK THE
REPUBLICANS WOULDN'T AGREE TO
IT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT IS AN
EXAMPLE AS ONE OF THE THINGS
THEY TALK ABOUT, AND
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
I THINK WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO
THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT.
THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO GET THERE.
I CAN TELL YOU FOR A FACT THE
REPUBLICANS WANT TO GET THERE.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
ACTUALLY HAS A CHOICE.
IT'S A FULL PACKAGE.
IT'S A BIG PACKAGE.
WE DO HAVE MONEY FOR SAVING
SMALL BUSINESSES.
I DON'T IMAGINE THE DEMOCRATS,
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY
SET ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY SET
ASIDE FOR BIG BUSINESSES, THE
BIG, POWERFUL COMPANIES THAT
WERE POWERFUL FOUR WEEKS AGO AND
NOW ARE OVEREXTENDED.
THAT'S A BIG BUSINESS, VERY
IMPORTANT TO FLORIDA.
IT'S UNTHINKABLE A MONTH AGO.
IT'S JUST UNTHINKABLE.
THEY WERE SETTING RECORDS.
THEY WERE BUILDING NEW SHIPS.
WE CAN'T LET THE CRUISE LINES GO
OUT OF BUSINESS.
THAT WOULD BE MASSIVE NUMBERS OF
JOBS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND
ACTUALLY FOR THE WORLD.
FOR OUR COUNTRY, IT'S A MASSIVE
BUSINESS AND IT DOESN'T TAKE
MUCH TO KEEP THEM GOING, SO WE
HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT.
BUT I THINK BOTH OF THE
DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICANS
ARE AGREED THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE
CARE OF OUR WORKERS AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE DOING THAT IN
NUMEROUS WAYS.
REPORTER: WHEN IT COMES TO THE
DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT, WE KNOW
PEOPLE WERE PLEADING WITH YOU TO
UTILIZE THE DPA --
PRES. TRUMP: DEPENDS WHICH
GOVERNOR.
REPORTER: MR. NAVARRO.
WHY NOT USE IT NOW IF THAT WOULD
ANSWER THEIR PLEAS FOR HELP?
PRES. TRUMP: WE ARE USING IT
NOW.
THE FACT THAT I SIGNED IT, IT'S
IN EFFECT.
WE'RE A COUNTRY NOT BASED ON
NATIONALIZING OUR BUSINESS.
ASK HOW DID NATIONALIZATION OF
THEIR BUSINESS WORKOUT?
NOT TOO WELL.
IT'S NOT A GOOD CONCEPT.
I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT -- AS PETER
SAID, WE MAY HAVE TO USE A PLACE
ALONG THE CHAIN, BUT WE'RE
GETTING CALLS.
IF WE WANT, LET'S SAY MASKS, BUT
HAYNES, WHO MAKES THINGS OF
COTTON, LOTS OF THINGS.
IT'S A GREAT COMPANY.
THEY CALLED US AND THEY SAID
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE MILLIONS OF
MASKS.
THERE'S A BIG ARTICLE TODAY, THE
HEAD OF 3M, THEY ARE GOING TO
MAKE TREMENDOUS PRODUCTS.
AND THEY ARE MORE OR LESS IN
THAT BUSINESS.
GENERAL MOTORS SPOKE TO US.
FORD SPOKE TO US ABOUT DOING
VENTILATORS.
THE BEAUTY IS THEY'RE CALLING
US.
IF YOU GO THE NATIONALIZATION
REP, WE'RE GOING TO TELL THE
COMPANY TO MAKE A VENTILATOR.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT A
VENTILATOR IS.
ONE COMPANY USED TO MAKE THEM
YEARS AGO AND THEY KNOW HOW TO
MAKE THEM.
IT'S A COMPLEX PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK PETER
SAID IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY IS
GOING TO SAY IT, WE HAVE THE
THREAT OF USING IT.
WE HAVE MILLIONS OF MASKS BEING
DONE.
WE HAVE RESPIRATORS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
SO, JUST THE THREAT OF USING IT.
BUT USING IT IS A BIG DEAL.
WHEN THIS WAS ANNOUNCED, IT SENT
TREMORS THROUGH OUR BUSINESS
COMMUNITY AND THROUGH OUR
COUNTRY.
WHERE ARE YOU DOING?
-- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY
COUNTRIES THAT COMPANIES. --
COMPANIES.
THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT YOU
WOULDN'T THINK OF THAT HAVE
CALLED US THAT SAID WE CAN DO
VENTILATORS.
WE USED TO DO THEM YEARS AGO,
AND THEY CAN DO THEM IN LARGE
QUALITIES. -- QUANTITIES.
IF I CALL COMPANIES THAT SAY CAN
YOU BUILD VENTILATORS?
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT A
VENTILATOR IS.
ONE OF THE REASONS I READ THE
NUMBERS TO YOU IS THAT WE'VE
GIVEN VAST NUMBERS OF JUST ABOUT
EVERYTHING.
WE'VE TAKEN IT OUT OF SUPPLY AND
WE'RE RESTOCKING OUR SUPPLY.
BUT WE'RE REALLY BACKING UP THE
GOVERNORS.
A LOT OF GOVERNORS HAVE DONE A
FANTASTIC JOB.
USUALLY THE ONES THAT COMPLAIN
HAVE THE PROBLEMS.
THE WE'VE HAD A GREAT
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNOR
CUOMO, GOVERNOR NEWSOM.
WE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
THOSE ARE THREE HOTBEDS.
NOW, WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH
OTHER STATES.
AS THE ADMIRAL SAID YESTERDAY,
WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL OF THE
STATES IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
SOME ARE VERY AFFECTED --
INFECTED -- AFFECTED IN A VERY
MINOR WAY.
I DON'T MEAN DEATHS, I MEAN
CASES.
AND THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM NEW
YORK.
I'VE LIVED THERE FOR A LONG
TIME.
EVERYBODY IS EXTREME THEY CLOSE,
TIGHT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CASES IN NEW
YORK.
WE'RE HELPING GOVERNOR CUOMO.
WE'RE HELPING GOVERNOR NEWSOM.
FRANKLY, THEY'VE BEEN TOTAL
GENTLEMEN.
THEY WANT TO GET IT DONE AND WE
WANT TO GET IT DONE.
BUT DOING IT THE WAY WE'RE DOING
IT IS MUCH BETTER.
REPORTER: I'M TALKING ABOUT THE
SUPPLY CHAIN, NOT ALLOCATION OR
MANUFACTURING.
[INDISCERNIBLE]
PRES. TRUMP: WE COORDINATE WITH
THE STATE AND WE ARE COURT
MEETING WITH THE STATES, AND FOR
THE MOST PART COORDINATION HAS
BEEN GOOD.
I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH ALL THE
GOVERNORS.
I ALLOWED THE PRESS TO STAY.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SAY.
ONE PERSON IN THE MEDIA SAID
THAT'S SURPRISING.
IT'S ACTUALLY RISKY DOING THAT
BECAUSE WE HAD DEMOCRATS AND WE
HAD REPUBLICANS.
AND THEY'RE POLITICIANS AND THEY
ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
I TOOK A LOT OF CALLS.
AND WE REALLY DIDN'T GET ONE
NASTY OR BAD RESPONSE.
THEY WERE THANKING US FOR THE
JOB WE DID.
I HAD THE PRESS STANDING THERE,
WATCHING.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
BUT I SAID LET THEM STAND THERE.
THE GOVERNORS WERE VERY
COMPLEMENT TREE, VERY COUPLE
MEMORY -- COMPLEMENT RE---
COMPLIMENTARY.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE HOTBEDS.
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING.
AND VERY PROUD OF THIS COUNTRY
AND A LOT OF THE POLITICIANS
THAT NORMALLY WE'RE FIGHTING
WITH.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON
THINGS.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE
SAME PLACE.
REPORTER: I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU
WERE CONSIDERING AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER TO FREE ELDERLY,
NONVIOLENT CRIMINALS FROM
FEDERAL PRISONS.
PRES. TRUMP: WE HAVE BEEN ASKED
ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S A BIT OF A PROBLEM.
IT WILL BE TALK ABOUT TOTALLY
NONVIOLENT -- YOU SAID TOTALLY
NONVIOLENT PRISONERS, WE ARE
ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT, YES.
REPORTER: ALSO, YOUR
ADMINISTRATION ELIMINATED A KEY
POSITION IN JULY, A MEDICAL
EPIDEMIOLOGIST EMBEDDED IN
CHINESE DISEASE CONTROL AGENCY,
AND IT WAS JUST MONTHS BEFORE
THE FIRST CASES WERE SPOTTED IN
WUHAN.
WHY WAS THE POST ELIMINATED?
PRES. TRUMP: ANYBODY?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE THAT ONE
COME ABOUT?
BUT THIS IS LIKE -- ONE, BOB?
BUT THIS IS LIKE THE OTHER STUFF
YOU ARE ASKING.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT
WAS SAID WAS 100% WRONG AND THIS
SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER ONE OF THEM.
BUT ANYWAY, GO AHEAD.
>> YEAH, AS YOU NOTE, CDC -- AS
YOU KNOW, CDC HAS OFFICES ALL
AROUND THE WORLD.
THE CHINA OFFICE IS ACTUALLY
BEING AUGMENTED AS WE SPEAK AND
WE'VE BEEN EMBEDDED THERE FOR
OVER 30 YEARS.
THERE'S A REASON THEY CALL IT
THE CHINESE CDC BECAUSE WE HAD
THE PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP.
PRES. TRUMP: AGAIN, OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA IS A
VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
I WISH THEY TOLD US THREE MONTHS
SOONER THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM.
WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
THEY KNEW ABOUT IT AND THEY
SHOULD'VE TOLD US.
WE COULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF
LIVES.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
ITALY AND SPAIN, WE COULD HAVE
SAVED A LOT OF LIVES THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD.
REPORTER: GIVEN THE DIAGNOSIS
FOR SENATOR PAUL AND PEOPLE
BEING SELF-QUARANTINE, WHAT
CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT THE
DIRECT FUNCTION OF THE SENATE,
THE ABILITY TO GET THIS
IMPORTANT PACKAGE THAT PEOPLE
ARE WAITING FOR PAST, AND SHOULD
AMERICANS BE EXPECTING YOU TO
EXTEND THE 15 DAYS, GIVEN THE
CLIMATE OF HOW THIS IS
SPREADING.
PRES. TRUMP: I HOPE WE WON'T
HAVE TO.
IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO
SEE HOW IT WORKS.
AS FAR AS THE SENATE IS
CONCERNED, SOME OF THE FOLKS ARE
FEELING VERY GOOD.
SOME OF THEM ARE QUARANTINED BUT
THEY'RE NEGATIVE.
THEY MAY BE TOTALLY FINE.
OTHERS ARE POSITIVE.
WE'RE JUST FINDING THIS FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
REPORTER: DO YOU SEE AS A THREAT
TO THE AID PACKAGE AMERICANS ARE
WAITING FOR?
PRES. TRUMP: I DON'T SEE ANY
THREATS AT ALL.
IT'LL ALL WORK OUT.
IT IS A QUESTION WE ARE
CONSIDERING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD DO IT,
CONSTITUTIONALLY, BUT WE ARE
CONSIDERING LETTING
CONGRESSWOMEN AND MEN VOTE FROM
A SEPARATE LOCATION FROM AN
OUTSIDE, MAINLY A HOSPITAL OR
HOME, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY
ARE.
IT'S A TRICKIER QUESTION THAN
MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
LOOKING INTO THAT.
REPORTER: KELLY WAS ALLUDING TO
IT, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO
GET THE 60 VOTES I'M JUST
CURIOUS YOUR REACTION TO THAT
AND WHAT IS MITCH MCCONNELL
TELLING YOU AND SECRETARY
MNUCHIN?
PRES. TRUMP: WE'RE DEALING WITH
THEM ALL THE TIME.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
I THINK WE'LL GET THERE.
TO ME, IT'S NOT VERY
COMPLICATED.
WE HAVE TO HELP THE WORKER.
WE HAVE TO SAVE THE COMPANIES.
BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE'RE
FINISHED WITH THIS WAR, OUR
COUNTRY IS GOING TO BOUNCE BACK
LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET IT TO THAT
POSITION AND WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THOSE COMPANIES ARE WHOLE,
THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
DISBANDED.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO THAT, IT'S
GOING TO TAKE MUCH LONGER.
IN A WAY, IT'S BEING PENNY WISE
IF YOU DON'T.
BUT WE WANT TO HELP THE WORKER.
WE WANT TO HELP THE COMPANIES
THE WORKERS WORK FOR.
THAT INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
SMALL BUSINESS WORK IN THERE.
YOU KNOW THAT.
ONCE THEY DON'T COME BACK,
THAT'S OF MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF
BUILDING.
REPORTER: THERE WAS A WOMAN THAT
WAS AN AMERICAN THAT WAS BEING
TORTURED.
WHAT WAS GOING ON?
PRES. TRUMP: BAD THINGS WERE
HAPPENING TO HER IN A CERTAIN
COUNTRY AND WE'RE REALLY UNDER
THE FEELING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP
IT SOMEWHAT PRIVATE UNTIL SHE'S
ALREADY BEEN FREED.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THE
GENERAL AND HIS PEOPLE WERE
UNBELIEVABLE.
THEY WERE NOT PLAYING GAMES.
VERY INTERESTING GUY.
THEY GOT HER OUT.
SHE WAS SERIOUSLY ABUSED,
ACCOSTED, AND WHATEVER THE
MAXIMUM WORD IS OTHER THAN
DEATH, THAT HAPPENED.
BUT WE GOT HER OUT AND SHE'S OK
AND SHE'S BACK WITH HER PARENTS.
REPORTER: CAN I ASK YOU,
QUESTION?
LIKE THAT TO NOMINATE --
TSUNAMI, THEY CALLED PRIVATE
SECTORS AND SAID WE NEED YOU TO
STEP IN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN
REACHING OUT TO PRESIDENT BUSH,
OBAMA, CARTER?
PRES. TRUMP: I HAVE THE BEST
PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
I THINK WE'RE DOING AN
EXTRAORDINARY JOB.
IF YOU LOOK AT, LET'S SAY THE
H1N1, YOU LOOK AT THAT WHOLE --
THAT WAS A DISASTER.
THAT WAS A TOUGH PERIOD OF TIME
FOR THIS COUNTRY.
YOU LOOK AT SOME THINGS THAT
WEREN'T HANDLED WELL, WHETHER IT
WAS KATRINA OR SOMETHING ELSE.
LOOK, I RESPECT EVERYBODY BUT I
FEEL WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM
AND WE'RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE
JOB.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT
THE APPROVAL NUMBERS.
I THINK WE'RE  DOINGAN
INCREDIBLE JOB.
I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO LEARN
MUCH.
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THERE'S
PROBABLY A NATURAL INCLINATION
NOT TO CALL.
NOW, IF I FELT THAT IF I CALLED
I'D LEARN SOMETHING AND IT WOULD
SAVE ONE LIFE, ONE LIFE, I WOULD
MAKE THE CALL IN TWO MINUTES.
BUT I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING.
REPORTER: CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT
THE COMMENT THAT A COUPLE OF
YOUR FORMER AIDES SAID TODAY?
GARY COHEN SAID IT'S TIME TO
START DISCUSSING THE NEED FOR A
DATE THE ECONOMY CAN TURN BACK
ON.
VANDEN IS SAYING DROP THE HAMMER
ON THE VIRUS -- BANNON IS SAYING
DROP THE HAMMER ON THE VERSE.
THE ECONOMIC TEAM IS SUFFERING,
AND THE VERSE ITSELF, THE
CASUALTY OF DEATHS.
PRES. TRUMP: I'M OF THE OPINION
WE HAVE TO DO GREAT DURING THESE
14 DAYS, THE 15 DAY PERIOD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY
GOOD IDEA WHAT WE'RE DOING.
YOU HAVE TO SHUT IT DOWN.
BUT THERE HAS TO BE A POINT
WHERE YOU SAY WE'RE BACK IN
BUSINESS.
THEY'RE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
I SAW BOTH OF THEM TODAY.
THEY ENTER MESH.
-- INTER-MESH.
HE IS CALLING FOR A BRUTAL SHUT
DOWN AND THEN MAYBE OPEN UP
FASTER.
THERE'S THAT FINE LINE.
LOOK, WE DID A GOOD SHUT DOWN
WHERE WE DIDN'T ALLOW PEOPLE
FROM CHINA THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
INFECTED.
AND THEN THEY CUT EUROPE OFF.
REPORTER: WHEN DO YOU START
OPENING --
PRES. TRUMP: I CAN'T TELL YOU
THAT.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GOOD
RESULTS.
I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN AMAZING.
I THINK OUR STIMULUS PACKAGE
WILL GET DONE AND IT WILL BE A
TREMENDOUS PACKAGE.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN THOSE
VOTES BUT THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO
GETTING A DEAL DONE.
AND IF THEY DON'T, I THINK
FRANKLY, THE MERC AND PEOPLE
WILL BE VERY UPSET WITH THE
DEMOCRATS -- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
WILL BE VERY UPSET WITH THE
DEMOCRATS.
THE ONLY RECENT IDEAL COULDN'T
GET DONE IS PURE POLITICS.
REPORTER: DESPITE YOUR
DIFFERENCES WITH MAYOR DE
BLASIO, HE SAID THE CITY IS
GOING TO RUN OUT OF BASIC
HOSPITAL SUPPLIES BY APRIL.
HOW DO YOU PREVENT NEW YORK CITY
FROM BECOMING ITALY?
PRES. TRUMP: YOU SHOULD HAVE
HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN VARIOUS
PLACES.
SOME HAVE BEEN STOCKED AND READY
TO GO -- THIS IS BEYOND WHAT
ANYTHING THAT POSSIBLE.
NOBODY CAN REALLY SAY OH, GEE,
THIS WILL HAPPEN.
THIS IS A UNIQUE AND HOPEFULLY
UNIQUE FOR MANY, MANY CENTURIES,
FOR A LONG TIME, HOPEFULLY WE
DON'T SEE THIS AGAIN.
BUT AGAIN, THE SYSTEMS ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE READY, WILLING,
AND ABLE.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE READY TO
GO.
I HAVE GREAT LOVE FOR NEW YORK
CITY AND I HAVE GREAT LOVE FOR
NEW YORK STATE AND WE'RE GOING
TO HELP THEM A LOT.
WE'RE SENDING OUR SHIPS UP
THERE.
IF WE NEED, WE'LL BE USING THE
CRUISE SHIP'S YOU'VE BEEN
READING ABOUT.
THEY'RE IMMEDIATE AND QUICK.
WE HAVE GOOD DOCKING SYSTEMS IN
THE PLACES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE MAY BE USING SOME OF THE
CRUISE LINERS.
BUT I THINK BILL DE BLASIO IS
WORKING VERY HARD.
I THINK HE'S TRYING VERY HARD.
IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION FOR HIM
AND EVERY MAYOR.
BECAUSE NOBODY'S EVER SEEN THIS
SCALE.
YOU'VE GIVEN MILLIONS OF MASKS
AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
MASKS IN A CERTAIN SHORT PERIOD
OF TIME, AND THEN YOU HEAR THEY
NEED MANY, MANY MORE, ONE OF THE
THINGS THEY HAVE STARTED, WITH
RESPECT TO MASKS IS THE
STERILIZATION PROCESS.
SOME IT WORKS VERY WELL.
OTHERS AREN'T SET UP THAT WAY.
YOU THROUGH THE MAP.
BUT WE HAVE A STASH THROW THEM
OUT -- THROW THEM OUT.
BUT WE HAVE A STERILIZATION
PROCESS.
WE HAVE MANY COMPANIES NOW,
COMPANIES THAT MADE WHISKEY.
THEY MADE ALCOHOL.
THEY'VE NOW GONE VERY QUICKLY
INTO HAND SANITIZERS.
YOU'VE BEEN READING ABOUT THREE
OR FOUR BIG COMPANIES, WE'RE
DOING INCREDIBLY WELL ON THAT.
THERE'S NO WAY IF YOU TOOK
EXISTING COMPANIES, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN.
PETER NAVARRO, THEYLL CALL
SOMEBODY.
A MONKEES, THEY CALLED ME.
-- IN ONE CASE, THEY CALLED ME.
THERE IS ONE COMPANY, I HAD
NEVER THOUGHT OF THEM FOR
VENTILATORS.
THEY WILL MAKE A GREAT PRODUCT.
SO PETER, I THINK YOU'RE SAYING
A LOT OF THAT.
REPORTER: THE BILL BEING
CONTEMPLATED BY THE SENATE HAS
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS FOR THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO USE TO
BAIL OUT STATES AND LOCALITIES,
AS WELL AS INDUSTRIES LIKE
CRUISES AND HOTELS.
WOULD YOU COMMIT PUBLICLY THAT
NONE OF THAT WILL GO TO EUROPE
--
PRES. TRUMP: EVERY TIME I DO IT
-- LIKE FOR INSTANCE, I
COMMITTED I WOULDN'T TAKE THE
FULL $450,000 SALARY.
NOBODY CARED.
NOBODY SAID THANK YOU.
NOBODY SAID THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW, I DIDN'T COMMIT LEGALLY.
I JUST SAID I DON'T WANT.
I DON'T WANT MY SALARY.
I'LL WORK FOR ZERO.
NOBODY SAID THANK YOU VERY
>> YOU WOULD GO OUT AFTER ME
LIKE CRAZY.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE
TALKING ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THE
ONE ELEMENT.
EVERYTHING IS CHANGING.
TESTING UNDERSTAND.
IT IS ALL CHANGING.
EVERY TIME I COMMIT TO DO
SOMETHING.
I COMMITTED TO DO-LOOK I RAN AND
EVERYBODY KNEW I WAS A RICH
PERSON, I BUILT A GREAT COMPANY
AND I AGREED TO DO THINGS, I DO
NOT HAVE TO PAIR I STILL DO NOT
HAVE TO.
BUT MY COMPANY, I TOLD THE KIDS
WHO ARE RUNNING IT I AM NOT
RUNNING IT.
BUT I TOLD THEM DO NOT DEAL WITH
FOREIGN COMPANIES, I DO NOT HAVE
TO DO THAT.
I COULD'VE JUST RAN AND I DO NOT
HAVE TO DO THAT AT ALL.
INSTEAD OF BEING THANKED FOR-NOT
AGREEING TO DO IT, BUT DOES NOT
DOING IT, I GET EXCORIATED ALL
THE TIME.
SO I HAVE LEARNED, LET'S JUST
SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SAVE SOME OF
THESE GREAT COMPANIES.
THAT COULD BE GREAT COMPANIES
LITERALLY AND A MATTER OF WEEKS.
WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM.
>> CAN I GO BACK YOUR
ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THAT NATIONAL
GUARD AND THE MEDICAL
FACILITIES.
YOU SAID THERE WOULD BE A LARGE
MEDICAL STRUCTURES BUILT IN
CALIFORNIA WITH MORE THAN 2000
BEDS.
AND THEN I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY
THERE WOULD BE FOUR SMALL
MEDICAL STRUCTURES IN THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON WITH 250 BEDS.
COULD YOU SAY WHAT CITIES AND
AREAS THOSE ARE GOING TO BE AND
SPECIFICALLY?
>> SURE.
>> WE ARE FILLING THE GOVERNOR'S
REQUEST.
WE SEND THE RESOURCE TO THEM AND
THEY WILL PUT IT TO BEST USE.
THEY WILL PUT IT TO WHERE THEY
WILL HAVE THE MOST EFFECT.
DO NOT DICTATE WHERE IT GOES.
AGAIN ISRAEL BACK -- EVERY --
AGAIN IT IS A REQUEST FROM THE
STATE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND THE GOVERNOR CAN USE THAT AS
HE OR SHE SEES FIT.
>> AND USING THE CRUISE SHIPS AS
WELL?
>> WE PROBABLY DO NOT NEED THEM.
I HOPE YOU DO NOT NEED THEM.
I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE GREAT LUCK
ON TUESDAY MORNING.
WE SENT A LOT OF THE MEDICINE,
WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO INTO IT,
BUT WE SENT A LOT OF THE
MEDICINE, TO GOVERNOR CUOMO.
I BELIEVE THEY ALREADY HAVE IT.
AND THEY HAVE SOME VERY CAPABLE
PEOPLE HEARD SPOKE TO DR. ZUCKER
WHO IS, HIS PRIMARY REP RESENTED
OF ON THIS AND WE SPOKE TO THE
GOVERNOR HIMSELF AND I THINK HE
IS EXCITED ABOUT IT LIKE I AM
EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WILL IT WORK?
I THICKET US A REALLY GOOD
CHANCE AND IT IS WORTHWHILE.
WHY SHOULD WE BE TESTING IT IN A
TEST TUBE FOUR YEAR AND A HALF
WHEN WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE VERY SICK BUT VERY,
VERY SICK AND WE CAN USE AND ON
THOSE PEOPLE AND MAYBE MAKE THEM
BETTER?
AND IN SOME CASES MAYBE SAVE
THEIR LIVES?
SO GOVERNOR CUOMO TOLD ME THERE
WILL BE STARTING TO USE OUR
SUPPLY ON TUESDAY MORNING AND I
THINK IT IS VERY EXCITING
BECAUSE IF THAT HAPPENS, MUCH OF
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH
SHIPS AND HOSPITALS AND ALL OF
THE THINGS WE ARE DOING AND ALL
OF THESE MASKS AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE ARE ORDERING,
VENTILATORS, IT IS A WHOLE
DIFFERENT GAME IF THAT HAPPENS.
AND WE WILL SEE.
THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS TIME
-- SIGNS THIS COULD WORK.
SOME DOCTORS THINK IT SHOULD GO
FOR YEARS IN TESTING BUT THIS
HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT IS BEEN
AROUND FOR YEARS.
HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL, STRONG,
POWERFUL DRUG, FOR MALARIA.
BUT WE THINK IT MIGHT WORK ON
THIS, BASED ON EVIDENCE, BASED
ON VERY STRONG EVIDENCE.
WE ARE GOING TO SEE HER GOING TO
KNOW.
SOMETIME AFTER TUESDAY.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK
GOVERNOR CUOMO.
I THINK THEY'RE GOOD TO START
THE PROCESS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN THEM THE DRUG.
I THINK I GOING TO START THE
PROCESS OF GIVING THE DRUG
THROUGH MOUTH, AND I THINK THAT
STARTS TUESDAY MORNING.
HE SAID, AND THAT WILL BE, I
TELL YOU WHAT, I DO NOT WANT TO
GET ANYBODY OVERLY EXCITED BUT I
AM VERY EXCITED BY THAT, THE BY
THE PROSPECT OF IT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, NIH IS
WORKING ON VACCINES AND THEY'RE
MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
BUT THE VACCINE DOES HAVE TO BE
TESTED FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE
YOU CANNOT GIVE THOUSAND
SURVEILLANCE OF PEOPLE VACCINE
AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE
DANGEROUS.
THAT DOES -- YOU CANNOT GIVE
THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
VACCINE AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE
DANGEROUS.
>> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT CHINA AND
THE PRESIDENT THERE, WHEN WAS
THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A
CONVERSATION WITH HIM?
>> I WILL NOT SAY EXACTLY BUT I
HAVE SPOKEN TO PRESIDENT XI
ABOUT THIS AND LOOK, HE DOES NOT
WANT THIS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING HE WANTS.
AND IT HAPPENED.
IT HAPPENED TO CHINA.
ONE THING THEY TOLD ME, I WAS
TOLD BY OUR GREAT SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE, SONNY PERDUE, THAT
CHINA HAS BEEN BUYING A LOT OF
OUR FARM PROJECT AND I AM
LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PRESSINGS
BUT CHINA DESPITE ALL OF THIS
AND IT STARTED, IT ESCALATED A
LITTLE BIT OBVIOUSLY BUT IT
STARTED FAIRLY RECENTLY, CHINA
IS BUYING, WE MADE A NEW DEAL AS
YOU KNOW WITH CHINA, A VERY BIG
TRADE DEAL, AND CHINA HAS BEEN
BUYING OUR AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS.
>> HAVE YOU TALKED TO CHINA
ABOUT MASKS?
THEY HAVE BEEN A SUPPLIER THE
U.S. ABOUT FOR MASKS?
>> THEY ARE SENDING MASK TO
ITALY.
THEY ARE SITTING MASKS TO ITALY.
WE ARE IN A VERY GOOD PROCESS
WITH MASKS.
-- THEY ARE SENDING MASKS TO
ITALY.
BUT I AM A LITTLE UPSET WITH
CHINA, I WILL BE HONEST WITH
YOU, BECAUSE AS MUCH AS I LIKE
THE PRESIDENT AND RESPECT THE
COUNTRY AND ADMIRE THE COUNTRY,
I HAVE GREAT RATION FOR THE
COUNTRY, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IN
SHORT.
OF TIME.
OF COURSE OUR PREVIOUS
PRESIDENTS ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN,
YOU SHOULD SAY THANK YOU TO ALL
OF THEM.
THEY SHOULD HAVE TOLD US ABOUT
THIS.
I DID ASK HIM WHETHER OR NOT WE
COULD SEND PEOPLE IN AND THEY
DID NOT WANT THAT, I THINK OUT
OF PRIDE.
THEY DO NOT WANT US SENDING
PEOPLE INTO CHINA TO HELP THEM.
FUN IS A STRONG COUNTRY.
-- CHINA IS A STRONG COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE THEIR DOCTORS AND
SCIENTISTS, VERY SMART.
AND I DID DISCUSS THAT ABOUT
SENDING OUR PEOPLE AND.
THEY DO NOT REALLY RESPOND.
WE WENT AGAIN AND THEY DID NOT
RESPOND.
IF THEY WANT TO END, THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL US AND
GIVE US AN EARLIER INDICATION.
BUT WE HAD AN EARLY INDICATION.
THAT IS WHY I CLOSED OUT CHINA.
IT WAS MY INSTINCT.
THAT IS WHY I CLOSED OUT CHINA
AT A VERY EARLY TIME.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, ARE
UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS WELCOME AT
TESTING SITES AND CAN THEY SHOW
UP AND BE TESTED THAT FEAR OF
BEING REPORTED TO IMMIGRATION
OFFICIALS FOR POSSIBLE
DEPORTATION?
>> IT IS ONLY A FAIR QUESTION.
THINK I WILL LET, WOULD YOU LIKE
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION?
SURGEON GENERAL.
>> FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
PERSPECTIVE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
PEOPLE HAVE SYMPTOMS CAN GET
TESTED.
BUT AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, WE
HAVE.
>> REGARDLESS OF CITIZENSHIP?
>> THE VIRUS DOES NOT JUDGE
BASED ON WHERE YOU ARE FROM.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET TEASED --
TO GET PEOPLE TESTED BASED ON
SYMPTOMS.
BUT IN PATIENTS NEED TO BE
TESTED NEED TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH
CARE WORKERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY QUICKLY ON
BEHALF OF THE DOCTORS ON THE
TASK FORCE, HEALTH CARE WORKERS,
WE HEAR YOU.
WE HEAR YOU.
AND WE ABSOLUTELY ARE
PRIORITIZING YOUR HEALTH AND
SAFETY.
PICKING SURE HEALTH CARE WORKERS
CAN GET TESTED.
IN PATIENTS CAN GET TESTED.
PEOPLE AT HIGHEST RISK.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
WHO HAVE SYMPTOMS WHO COULD
DISCREDIT CAN GET TESTED.
-- WHO COULD SPREAD IT, CAN GET
TESTED.
>> DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE A
FEW DAYS AGO.
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
ISSUED GUIDANCE THAT ABSENT
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, CUSTOMS
AND BORDER PROTECTION DOES NOT
TARGET EMERGENCY ROOMS OR HEALTH
CLINICS.
I WOULD REFER YOU TO THE
WEBSITE.
THEY ISSUED A VERY CLEAR
STATEMENT, MAKING IT CLEAR TO
ANY PERSON THAT IS IN NEED OF A
TEST OR MEDICAL CARE THAT
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION IS
NOT FOCUSING ON EMERGENCY ROOMS
OR HEALTH CLINICS OR THE
DRIVE-THROUGH CLINICS.
>> SO THEY COULD COMMAND WITHOUT
FEAR OF?
>> YES.
>> AND IF THAT IS NOT THE POLICY
I WILL MAKE IT THE POLICY.
AND I WAS SAYING, AS MIKE WAS
SAYING THAT, THAT THE ANSWER IS
YES.
WE WILL DO THOSE TESTS.
BECAUSE I THINK IN THAT CASE IT
IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT IF WE COULD, YOU
COULD SAY ILLEGAL ALIEN, YOU
COULD SAY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, YOU
CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO USE
YOUR DEFINITION OF WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, WE ARE ALL
TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
YES, WE WILL TEST THAT PERSON.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE TEST THAT PERSON.
DO NOT WANT TO SEND THAT PERSON
BACK INTO WHEREVER WE ARE GOING
TO BE SENDING THE PERSON.
WHETHER IT IS ANOTHER COUNTRY OR
SOMEPLACE ELSE.
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW BRINGING THEM
RIGHT OUT OF OUR COUNTRY.
YES, WE WILL TEST THOSE PEOPLE.
[INDISCERNIBLE]
>> A LOT OF FOLKS WATCHING TV
AND READING UP ON THIS
CONSTANTLY.
IF YOU'RE NOT SOMEONE WITH A
PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITION
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU JUST DO
NOT FEEL HUNDRED PERCENT AND
THEN YOUR MIND STARTS PLAY WITH
YOU ANYTHING, I COUGHED, WAS
THAT A FIRST SIGN?
WENT TO THOSE PEOPLE REALLY
START TO SAY, MAYBE I NEED TO
CALL THE DOCTOR.
BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO FLOOD
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
THINKING, IT IS ALL I CAN TO
CABAL OR I'M HEARING ABOUT.
-- ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT OR AM
HEARING ABOUT.
WHEN SHOULD I CALL A DOCTOR?
>> THE VICE PRESIDENT GAVE IN A
PERSON -- GAVE AN IMPORTANT
STATISTIC THIS MORNING.
ONLY 10% OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SYMPTOMS WHO WERE TESTED TESTED
POSITIVE.
THAT MEANS NINE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE
WHO HAD SYMPTOMS LIKELY DO NOT
HAVE CORONAVIRUS.
I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
SO THEY ARE REASSURED.
I ALSO WANT TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO
A WEBSITE, CORONAVIRUS.GOV  AND
IT HAS INFORMATION TO WALK YOU
TO THE SYMPTOMS HEARD FEVER,
COUGH, SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
BODY.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS CALL
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND
TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE
PROVIDER.
THE INFORMATION IS AT
CORONAVIRUS.GOV TO LET YOU KNOW
WHEN TO COME IN AND WHAT TO DO.
>> YOU GOT TESTED YESTERDAY,
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL GO THROUGH
THIS.
ARE YOU STANDING BY THE PHONE?
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
>> THE TEST WAS QUICK.
IT GOES UP INTO YOUR SINUSES AND
IT IS NOT COMFORTABLE.
THAT A REASON IT IS A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY AGAIN TO ANY
AMERICAN LOOKING ON, IF YOU DO
NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS, YOU DO NOT
NEED TO TEST.
CURRENT TESTING FORMAT, ALTHOUGH
THEY ARE EVOLVING REGULARLY NOW,
WE MENTIONED AT THE END OF THIS
WEEK THERE WILL BE A NEW TEST.
THERE IS ALL NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
I WOULD SAY AGAIN TO ALL OF THE
GOVERNORS LOOKING ON AND THEIR
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS, CONTACT
FEMA FOR THAT NEW INFORMATION ON
TESTING AVAILABLE INCLUDING
STEPS WE ARE MAKING OR AMERICANS
WILL BE ABLE TO TEST THEMSELVES
AND SEND IT IN.
>> WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?
>> FOR ME AND MISSES PENCE IT
WAS A PINCH, IT WAS KIND OF
INVASIVE.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE
SUPPORT.
WALTER REED HOSPITAL PROCESSED
THE TESTS QUICKLY.
THEY HAD A LAB AT THE HOSPITAL
TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THEY GAVE US THE RESULTS
QUICKLY.
IT ALSO INFORMED ME, WE WERE
WONDERING, DURING THAT TIME AS A
FAMILY.
IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THE
PRESIDENT HAS MADE IT SUCH A
PRIORITY, THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT
THESE COMMERCIAL LABS TOGETHER.
NOW MORE THAN A QUARTER MILLION
TESTS HAVE BEEN DONE.
AND WE BELIEVE WE WILL BE CAUGHT
UP BY THE MIDDLE OF THIS WEEK ON
A BACKLOG OF TESTING.
WE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT WE ARE
DIRECTING COMMERCIAL LABS TO
PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE
HOSPITAL FOR TESTS.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AND
WITH THE NEW FOCUS AND GUIDES
FROM HHS, TO GET THE RESULTS OF
THAT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
FOR EVERY AMERICAN.
SO IF THEY HAVE CORONAVIRUS,
THEY CAN BE PROPERLY TREATED.
OR THEY CAN HAVE PEACE OF MIND
THAT THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER
RESPIRATORY AILMENT BUT NOT
THAT.
>>  [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> KAREN PENCE.
THE VICE PRESIDENT TOLD ME SHE
ACTUALLY HANDLED IT BETTER THAN
HIM.
[LAUGHTER]
RIGHT?
THAT'S TRUE.
I DO NOT HANDLE IT SO WELL
EITHER.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT.
>> SPEAKER PELOSI SAID THE HOUSE
MAY INTRODUCE ITS OWN BILL.
ARE YOU WILLING TO WORK WITH THE
SPEAKER ON A HOUSE BILL?
AND GIVEN WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
SENATE, A SHORT TIME AGO, WHAT
ARE YOU WILLING TO DO, TO GET
THIS BILL OVER THE FINISH LINE,
GIVEN THE OWNERSHIP -- GIVEN THE
URGENCY?
AND DID YOU SEND A LETTER TO
NORTH KOREA'S KIM JONG-UN
SEEKING COOPERATION FOR
CORONAVIRUS AND IF SO WHAT WAS
THAT?
>> CERTAINLY, WITH NUMEROUS
COUNTRIES TO GET THEM HELP.
BUT HE HAS WHAT WE HAVE WITH THE
NEW TEST COMING OUT.
KOREA.
AND IRAN BY THE WAY.
WE ARE OPEN FOR HELPING OTHER
COUNTRIES.
AND IT IS A VERY SERIOUS TIME.
NORTH KOREA IS GOING THROUGH
SOMETHING.
AROUND IS GOING THROUGH
SOMETHING VERY STRONG.
I RAN IS REALLY GOING THROUGH A
VERY TO GO.
WITH RESPECT TO THIS -- IS GOING
THROUGH A VERY DICKEL TIME
SPECTER THIS.
-- IRAN IS GOING THROUGH A VERY
DIFFICULT TIME WITH ALL OF THIS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH MANY
COUNTRIES WITH RESPECT TO THE
PROBLEMS THEY HAVE.
IT IS OVER 140 COUNTRIES NOW.
NORTH KOREA, IRAN, AND OTHER
COUNTRIES, WE WILL HELP AND WE
ARE WILLING TO AS AN EXAMPLE, IF
THIS TEST WORKS OUT WHERE
INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH WHAT WE
ALL WENT THROUGH WITH THIS
RATHER DIFFICULT TEST, TO PUT IT
NICELY, WE WOULD HAVE, IS THAT
JUST SWAB ON THE TONGUE?
OR HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> IT IS A SIMILAR SWAB.
NOT TO THE SAME LEVEL.
>> DOESN'T GO UP AND HANG A
RIGHT UNDER YOUR EYE, RIGHT?
IT IS A TOUGH TEST.
SO IF WE DO THAT, THE PROCEDURE,
THE TEST, AND NOBODY HAS THIS IN
THE WORLD.
THIS IS DEVELOPED BY US.
THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CERTIFIED
SOON.
WE THINK IT IS GOING TO BE VERY
GOOD.
IF WE HAVE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE
TO HELP A LOT OF COUNTRIES.
>> WHAT ABOUT SPEAKER PELOSI,
SIR?
>> WE WILL WORK WITH EVERYBODY
TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING
DONE.
>> ARE YOU WILLING TO WORK
CORRECTLY WITH SPEAKER PELOSI?
>> IF WE HAVE TO.
WE HAVE TO HELP CHIMERIC AND
WORKER.
HAVE TO HELP THE COUNTRIES -- WE
HAVE TO HELP THE AMERICAN WORKER
.
WE HAVE TO HELP THE COUNTRIES
FROM WHICH THE AMERICAN WORKERS,
THEY CAME OUT OF COMPANIES THAT
WERE DOING PHENOMENALLY WELL.
YOU SAW WHERE WAGES WERE GOING
WAY UP.
WE CANNOT LOSE THOSE COMPANIES.
AND WE WANT THE WORKER TO BE
HAPPY.
AND WE ARE BEING, I THINK, MORE
GENEROUS THAN ANYBODY HAS EVER
BEEN.
WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE
WORKER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN
WE WIN THE WAR AGAINST THE
VIRUS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THOSE COMPANIES ARE READY TO
CHARGE FORWARD.
NOT THE HAVE BEEN DISBANDED.
>> THERE ARE FACTORS --
FACTORIES AROUND THE WORLD THAT
PRODUCE MEDICAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN
EUROPEAN HOSPITALS AND HAVE BEEN
CERTIFIED FOR USE AT THE HIGHEST
LEVELS.
AS THE FDA YOUR ADMINISTRATION
WILLING TO LOOK AT A WAIVER FOR
THAT EQUIPMENT TO BE SOLD FROM
THOSE FACTORIES?
>> WE MAY BUT WHAT WE MAY DO NOT
NEED IT.
WE DO A VERY HIGH STANDARD.
OUR STANDARD IS HIGHER.
PLEASE?
>> GUIDANCE FOR AMERICAN
FAMILIES WHO ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT
THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURES CURRENT
EARLIER TODAY THE SECRETARY OF
THE TREASURY WAS TALKING ABOUT
THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
IMPACTED BY THE SHUTDOWNS
HAPPENING IN CITIES AND
SOMETIMES WHOLE STATES.
SECOND TERMINATION SET -- THE
SECRETARY SAID THE LOCKOUT COULD
LAST 10 WEEKS TO 12 WEEKS,
PERHAPS INTO JUNE.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER ANOTHER
FISCAL STIMULUS?
ANOTHER CHECK?
>> LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL NOT NEED IT
BUT WE MIGHT.
LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
GREATEST THING WE CAN DO IS WHEN
THE WAR.
THE WAR IS AGAINST THE VIRUS.
THAT IS THE WAR.
WE DO THAT, EVERYTHING I REALLY
BELIEVE.
EVERYTHING WILL FALL INTO PLACE.
IT IS GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL.
I CALL IT A PENT-UP DEMAND.
PEOPLE ARE DYING TO GO OUT TO A
RESTAURANT.
PEOPLE ARE DYING TO GO ONTO
AIRPLANES.
I THINK THERE'S A TREMENDOUS
PENT-UP DEMAND.
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED.
THIS WAS NOT A FINANCIAL CRISIS,
JUST THE OPPOSITE, THIS IS A
MEDICAL CRISIS.
>> WOULD YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
SELL STOCK?
>> I DO NOT HAVE STOCK.
>> I DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.
IT IS INTERESTING YOU ASK A
QUESTION LIKE THAT.
NASTY QUESTION.
YEAH DESERVE TO BE ASKED, I
GUESS.
WHAT I HAVE DONE BY DECIDING TO,
AND I KNEW THIS THE FIRST DAY, I
SAID IS GOING TO COST A LOT OF
MONEY.
IT COST ME BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO BECOME AND BE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
AND THINGS THAT WOULD NORMALLY
BE RUN AT A CERTAIN THING, EVEN
PEOPLE THAT DO NOT LIKE ME
BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M TOO TOUGH
ON THE BORDER, SOME PEOPLE LOVE
ME FOR IT AND OTHER PEOPLE DO
NOT LIKE ME AT ALL.
IT IS VERY FUNNY.
MY WIFE, WE WERE AT A CHARITY
EVENT IN NEW YORK CITY I HAD
JUST ANNOUNCED I WAS RUNNING.
AND WE WERE AT THE ROBIN HOOD
FOUNDATION.
AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH
NOW WE WILL BE CONVERTING TO
HOSPITALS FOR GOVERNOR CUOMO,
HUNG?
I WAS WALKING IN AND THERE WAS A
SMATTERING OF BOOZE -- BOOS,
AT A SMATTERING OF CHEERS.
I WAS GETTING BOTH.
OUR VERY POPULAR FIRST LADY.
SHE IS TURNING OUT TO BE VERY
POPULAR.
PEOPLE HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR
HER.
OUR VERY POPULAR FIRST LADY SAID
TO ME, THAT IS STRANGE.
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYONE DOING
YOU.
-- BOOING YOU.
THAT WAS VERY EARLY ON.
I CALLED FOR SOMETHING PEOPLE DO
NOT LIKE.
I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN.
THE FACT THAT I RAN AND I KNEW
AS SOON AS THEY ANNOUNCED, WHEN
I RAN, I SAID IT GOING TO COST A
FORTUNE.
NOT ONLY ACTUAL COST PER LOOK AT
MY LEGAL COSTS.
YOU PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IS SUING
ME.
I'M BEING SUED BY PEOPLE I NEVER
EVEN HEARD OF.
I'M BEING SUED ALL OVER THE
PLACE.
AND DOING VERY WELL.
BUT IT IS UNFAIR.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS.
IN TERMS OF, RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT, AND I DO NOT THINK
RICH PEOPLE, MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
SPENT A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENED.
IT IS HARD FOR RICH PEOPLE TO
RUN FOR OFFICE.
IT IS FAR MORE COSTLY.
IT IS JUST A VERY TOUGH THING.
WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I'M
GLAD I'VE DONE BECAUSE THERE ARE
A LOT OF RICH PEOPLE AROUND, I
HAVE A LOT OF RICH FRIENDS, BUT
THEY CANNOT HELP AND THEY CANNOT
DO WHAT I HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF
HELPING THIS COUNTRY.
WE GOT SIDETRACKED BY THE
INVISIBLE ENEMY BUT WHEN YOU
LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE DONE OR
SAID BEFORE WITH THE VETERANS,
WITH ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE
ESPECIALLY CHOICE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE
ACCOUNTABILITY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS
WE HAVE DONE, REBUILDING THE
MILITARY, THE TAX CUTS.
WE HAD CUSHION.
WITHOUT THAT THIS WOULD'VE BEEN
CATASTROPHIC.
WITH ALL OF THE LOSSES YOU HAVE
SEEN IN THE STOCK MARKET.
WE ARE BASICALLY BACK.
AND WITH THIS HORRIBLE THING.
IF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED BEFORE
THAT YOU WOULD'VE HAD NOTHING
LEFT.
THIS WAS CUSHION.
I WILL SAY THAT IT COST ME
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE
PRESIDENT.
ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE MONEY
I COULD HAVE MADE THAN THE LAST
THREE OR FOUR YEARS AND I WAS
BEING PRESIDENT I HAVE NO
INTEREST IN IT.
I'M ALLOWED TO.
I DO NOT KNOW IF YOU KNOW IT.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, THEY SAY HE
WAS A RICH MAN, SUPPOSEDLY,
RELATIVELY RICH.
AND HE RAN THE PRESIDENCY.
AND HE ALSO RAN HIS BUSINESS.
THEY SAY HAD TWO DESKS.
NOBODY COMPLAINED UNTIL I CAN
ALONG.
I GOT ELECTED BUT NOBODY
COMPLAINED UNTIL I CAME ALONG
AND IT COST ME BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO BE PRESIDENT.
AND I'M SO HAPPY I DEBT IT
BECAUSE WHO CARES?
WHO CARES?
I AM REALLY HAPPY WITH THE JOB.
I'M GLAD THIS TEAM AND ME ARE
HERE FOR THIS HORRIBLE THING.
IT IS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
ASCETIC, BUT -- YOU HAVE SET IT,
AND -- A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS A WAR.
YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMICS, IN
THE PAST THREE IS TO STIMULATE
TO GET PEOPLE JOBS AND NOW WE
ARE STIMULATING TO PROTECT
PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT
THEM TO WORK.
BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO STAY
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND NOT
GATHER.
SOCIAL.
SOCIAL GATHERING.
SO WE ARE PAYING BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS MORE THAN THAT.
SO THAT THEY DO NOT GATHER.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DEFEAT THIS
VIRUS.
AND WE WILL.
BUT IT COST ME BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE
PRESIDENT.
AND I'M SO HAPPY I DID IT.
>> WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT
[INDISCERNIBLE]
>> FOREIGN COUNTRY CLAIMS.
I REALIZE YOUR PRIORITY IS TO
AMERICANS AND THIS NATION.
WHAT ABOUT, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED
SUPPORTING FOREIGN COUNTRIES
ALSO FIGHTING THIS GLOBAL
PANDEMIC?
>> FOREIGN COUNTRIES, THAT WAS
THE OTHER QUESTION.
I AM HONORED TO HELP.
THE DOCTOR HAS HELPED.
THE SURGEON GENERAL IS SPEAKING
TO OTHER COUNTRIES ALL THE TIME.
THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS, DO WE
DO?
NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THIS.
THEY ARE CALLING OUR PEOPLE ALL
THE TIME.
YES, I HAVE LET IT BE KNOWN WILL
HELP PEOPLE.
INCLUDING NORTH KOREA.
INCLUDING IRAN.
AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS.
>> ARE YOU CONSIDERING ANY
FINANCIAL SUPPORT?
LET ME QUOTE YOU A RETIRED
GENERAL AND RETURN ADMIRAL FROM
THE U.S. COALITION.
NO MATTER HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE
IN FIGHTING THE THREAT OF
COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT HOME, WE
WILL NEVER STOP IT UNLESS WE ARE
ALSO FIGHTING IT AROUND THE
WORLD.
FINANCIALLY, IS THERE ANYTHING
IN THE STIMULUS BILL AND ARE YOU
CONSIDERING?
>> NO, NOT IN THIS TO BE BILL.
BUT WE ARE VERY MUCH, WE GIVE
AWAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AS AN
EXAMPLE AIDS IN AFRICA.
WE ARE STILL FIGHTING THAT
BATTLE.
ED IS A TREMENDOUS BATTLE.
A WAR.
YOU'RE FIGHTING IT HERE.
IN 10 YEARS.
NOW IT IS EIGHT YEARS.
BECAUSE I STARTED IT.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STARTED
BEFORE I GOT HERE.
BECAUSE THEY HAD THE ANSWER EVEN
BEFORE.
BUT WE ARE FIGHTING THAT BATTLE.
THAT BATTLE WILL BE AIDS FREE
AND APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS IT
LOOKS LIKE THAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN.
WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT WE ARE SPENDING MONEY WITH
OTHER COUNTRIES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE AID WE GIVE
TO OTHER COUNTRIES, WE GET
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OTHER
COUNTRIES.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY SAY, WE
COULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE.
I SAY WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
IT IS USED TO FIGHT MALARIA.
AND COUNTRIES THAT ARE POOR.
IT IS USED TO FIGHT AIDS IN
AFRICA.
IT IS USED TO FIGHT MANY OTHER
THINGS.
MANY OTHER THINGS.
AND I DO NOT THINK I HAVE EVER
SAID NO.
I CAN'T.
IT IS SO TERRIBLE PAREN
COUNTRIES THAT WE HAVE REALLY,
WE ARE NOT INVOLVED WITH THEM
VERY MUCH, OTHER THAN IT WOULD
BE TREMENDOUS DEATH, TREMENDOUS
DEATH.
YOU CAN GET A LIST AND I COULD
GET YOU A LIST.
WE GIVE AWAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND WE ARE GIVING AWAY A LOT IN
TERMS OF EVERYTHING.
AND PROBABLY WE'LL END UP DOING
ECONOMICALLY DOING SOMETHING FOR
OTHER COUNTRIES.
BUT WHEN I'M PRESENTED WITH
THESE LAST, THAT YES, IN AFRICA
WE ARE FIGHTING AIDS.
OH WE ARE FIGHTING SOMETHING
ELSE.
I TELL YOU WHAT, I START BY
SAYING, WE SHOULD SAY WE COULD
SAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND BY THE
TIME THEY WALKED THESE LISTS
INTO MY OFFICE I SAY, WE HAVE TO
KEEP DOING THAT.
THAT IS THAT HUMANITY YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE
STATES THAT HAVE NOT YET ISSUED
STAY-AT-HOME ORDER'S.
IN TEXAS HOSPITALS HAVE SAID
THEY EXPECT TO RUN OUT OF BEDS
BY THE END OF APRIL.
THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT ISSUED A
STAY-AT-HOME ORDER.
>> THAT IS A GREAT GOVERNOR.
IN TEXAS, HE IS A GREAT
GOVERNOR.
A LOT OF AREAS HE IS TALKING
ABOUT, A LOT OF THE COUNTIES HE
IS TALKING ABOUT, ARE NOT VERY
STRONGLY AFFECTED.
IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF A
PLACE.
AND A GREAT PLACE.
I HAVE TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE
GOVERNOR.
>> YOU'RE OK WITH THAT?
IT HAS MADE A DIFFERENT.
>> EVERY STATE IS DIFFERENT.
IDAHO, WEST VIRGINIA, IOWA, THE
ROSCOE, ARE DIFFERENT --
NEBRASKA, ARE DIFFERENT FROM NEW
YORK, CALIFORNIA, THEY ARE
DIFFERENT.
THE HOTSPOTS NOW ARE THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON.
AND NEW YORK.
IN CALIFORNIA.
NEW YORK RIGHT NOW IS THE
LEADER, THERE IS NO QUESTION.
>> YOUR ADMINISTRATION IS
PACKING A LAWSUIT TO INVALIDATE
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
GIVEN THAT PEOPLE ARE LOSING
THEIR JOBS NOW AND NEED HEALTH
CARE OR THAN EVER, WOULD YOU
CONSIDER RETHINKING YOUR
POSITION ON THAT?
>> THAT IS A LAWSUIT COMING OUT
OF TEXAS AGAIN, HEADED UP BY
TEXAS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GET RID OF
THE BAD HEALTH CARE, AND PUT IN
THE GREAT HEALTH CARE HURT AND
WE WILL ALWAYS, THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY IS FULLY BACKING
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
IF WE CAN GET A GREAT HEALTH
CARE PLAN.
SHE WOULD NEED THE HOUSE TO DO.
IF WE COULD GET A GREAT HEALTH
CARE PLAN, WE WOULD ONLY DO IT
WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF
BAD HEALTH CARE.
NOW, WE ARE RUNNING THE BAD
HEALTH CARE THAT ARE THAN IT WAS
EVER RUN.
AND WE ARE MAKING IT BETTER.
BUT IT COULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN
IT IS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TERMINATE
IT.
HAVE A GREAT HEALTH CARE.
BUT WE WILL ONLY DO IT WITH
PRE-EXISTING.
WE WILL BACK PRE-EXISTING.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
WE WILL BE BACK.
WE WILL HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW.
>>  [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> IF YOU WANT TO CLARIFY THAT?
SAN JOSE?
>>  [INDISCERNIBLE]
WHAT TODAY [INDISCERNIBLE]
THANK YOU.
OK.
>> DONATE BLOOD.
DONATE BLOOD.
WE NEED IT.
[CROWD SOUNDS]
>> IT IS EASY TO FOLLOW THE
FEDERAL RESPONSE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK AT
C-SPAN.ORG/CREDIT VIRUS.
TRACK THE SPREAD THROUGH THE
U.S. AND THE WORLD WITH
INTERACTIVE MAPS AND CHARTS.
WATCH BRIEFINGS AND HEARINGS
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALISTS.
ANYTIME, UNFILTERED.
AT C-SPAN.ORG/CORONAVIRUS.
>> JOINING US FROM THE
HEADQUARTERS OF THE AFL-CIO IS
THE PRESIDENT OF THAT
ORGANIZATION, RICHARD TRUMKA.
HERE IN STUDIO IS NATHAN BONY
BUSINESS REPORTER FOR USA TODAY.
MR. TRUMKA I WANT TO ASK YOU
, ABOUT THIS MOMENT IN OUR
COUNTRY'S HISTORY.
LIVES HAVE BEEN UPENDED.
THE STOCK MARKET HAS SEEN A
WHIPSAW.
WORKERS ARE UNCERTAIN.
WHAT WOULD YOU PUT THIS MOMENT,
RIGHT NOW?
>> IT IS A VERY SERIOUS MOMENT
FOR EVERYONE IN THE COUN
