Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) is offering some advice to President Donald Trump on the federal coronavirus response.
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe tweeted that Biden had called Trump to discuss the coronavirus response on Monday afternoon, “President Trump and former vice president [Joe Biden] spoke today regarding the federal government’s [coronavirus] response.”
He added, “No other details about the nature or length of the call or who initiated it were immediately available.”
JUST IN: President Trump and former vice president @JoeBiden spoke today regarding the federal government's #Coronavirus response, a source familiar with the call tells me. No other details about the nature or length of the call or who initiated it were immediately available.
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 6, 2020
Trump confirmed that he spoke to Biden during a press conference on Monday, “I also spoke just a few minutes with former Vice President Biden, who called. We had a really wonderful warm conversation.”
He continued, “We talked about pretty much this. This is what we talked about. This is what everyone’s talking about. This is what they want to talk about.”
Trump said it was a “very friendly conversation” that lasted about 15 minutes.
Watch his comments below:
President Trump: "I also spoke just a few minutes with former V.P. Biden, who called. We had a really wonderful warm conversation… We talked about pretty much this. This is what we talked about. This is what everyone's talking about. This is what they want to talk about." pic.twitter.com/gUEh9qH6Z4
— The Hill (@thehill) April 6, 2020
News of the call comes days after Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway slammed Biden for criticizing Trump’s coronavirus response instead of offering his advice, as IJR has previously reported.
She said, “I would ask Vice President Biden why he can’t call and lend a hand. Doesn’t he think he would actually do better by calling here and trying to help?”
Watch her comments below:
Just hours after Conway’s remarks, Biden’s campaign said that the vice president was offering to call the White House to discuss the federal coronavirus response.
Despite Conway’s challenge and Biden’s offer to call the White House, it was unclear if Trump would want to take the call with Biden. During a press conference, he said that he did not want to call his predecessors because, “I don’t think I’m going to learn much.”
But, when asked whether he would take a phone call with Biden, Trump said, “I’d love the speak with him, sure.”
He added, “If he’d like to call, I’d absolutely take his call.”