President Donald Trump is facing backlash for suggesting hospital workers may be to blame for the lack of medical supplies.
During Sunday’s press briefing, Trump discussed the ongoing shortages in hospitals across the nation. While multiple governors have continued to press Trump’s administration for more supplies, they say very little has been produced.
However, now Trump has a different take on the situation. He suggested that “hoarding” or “maybe worse than hoarding” could be the reason for the lack of medical supplies such as ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) including N95 masks.
Trump responded saying he wanted to take a look at what was going on because of the rapid use in New York over such a short period of time.
“How do you go from [10,000] to [20,000] to 30,000, to 300,000 — even though this is different,” Trump said. “Something is going on. And you ought to look into it as reporters. Where are the masks going?”
He continued:
“Are they going out the back door? How do you go from 10,000 to 300,000? And we have that in a lot of different places. So somebody should probably look into that because I just don’t see from a practical standpoint how its possible to go from that to that.”
See Trump’s remarks below:
"Many of the states are stocked up. Some don't admit it. But we have sent so much." — Trump paints governors who are asking for more federal help as complainers pic.twitter.com/fpaDBIlSiM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 29, 2020
Trump’s assumptions have been met with opposition on Twitter. Many have taken to the social network with their opinion of his remarks.
Check out some reactions below:
Hospitals are NOT hoarding ventilators.
— Brett Gursky (@BrettGursky) March 29, 2020
Doctors & nurses are NOT wasting masks.
Masks are NOT mysteriously disappearing "out the back door".
Doctors & nurses are working harder than @realDonaldTrump has ever worked a day in his life.
Healthcare workers are not hoarding masks. Healthcare workers, please feel free (if you have time) to confirm in the replies. Also, most importantly, we simply cannot thank you enough.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) March 29, 2020
The coronavirus briefing follows Trump’s previous phone interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity where he took a similar stance on Cuomo’s request for ventilators.
Despite the estimates and the rapid coronavirus spread throughout New York and other places, Trump said, “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.”
“I think that a lot of things are being said that are more,” Trump also said. “I don’t think certain things will materialize, a lot of equipment is being asked for that I don’t think they’ll need.”