Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is renewing his criticism of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus testing plan, adding what he believes is hindering its implementation.
Willie Geist, co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” asked Schumer why there is not a national program for testing.
“The bottom line is no one can quite figure it out except that it’s the president’s ego,” Schumer said.
He added, “The president seems to think this is all about him. He thinks he says something and it’s true. That’s been his pattern his whole life even before he was president. But it just isn’t.”
Watch his comments below:
Schumer pointed to the climbing projections for coronavirus mortality rates and confirmed cases as reasons for swift action. He noted it is “hurting everybody,” including Trump.
He issued a tweet where he repeated his disappointment with Trump.
“It’s May 5th, and President Trump still doesn’t have an adequate national testing strategy,” Schumer wrote.
It's May 5th, and President Trump still doesn’t have an adequate national testing strategy.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 5, 2020
He expressed his belief no one in the White House holds Trump accountable to what he says.
“No one speaks truth to power in that White House. They all seem to yes him to death and he’s wrong and they don’t correct him,” Schumer said.
He continued, “That’s why we need hearings.”
Prior to the Senate’s return on Monday, Schumer called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to hold hearings with leading health experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, as IJR previously reported.
A national testing plan is one of the things Schumer said he would like to ask Birx and Fauci about.
On Tuesday, Schumer reiterated his call for Fauci to come to testify before the Senate just days after the White House blocked him from doing so, as IJR reported.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell are among other officials Schumer would like to see testify.