Trump Says States Need To ‘Stock Up’ After Not Building Their Own Stockpiles

April 2, 2020
US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on April 1, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN /... US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on April 1, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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April 2, 2020

Throughout Thursday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing, President Trump turned his focus to governors’ response to the shortage of key supplies needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 in their states.

“The states have to stock up,” Trump said. “It’s like one of those things. They waited.”

The President added that the federal stockpile is a “backup” and that “we have done an unbelievable job” before special guest Jared Kushner took the podium later to share a similar sentiment.

“The notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile,” Kushner said. “It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”

It’s worth noting that the website for the Strategic National Stockpile says that its purpose is to support the response efforts of “state, local, tribal, and territorial responders” when they request federal assistance.

Trump later took aim at governors, who he said thank him during their calls but then take to TV to criticize him.

Scroll down for our full coverage of the briefing:

More Less

Throughout Thursday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing, President Trump turned his focus to governors’ response to the shortage of key supplies needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 in their states.

“The states have to stock up,” Trump said. “It’s like one of those things. They waited.”

The President added that the federal stockpile is a “backup” and that “we have done an unbelievable job” before special guest Jared Kushner took the podium later to share a similar sentiment.

“The notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile,” Kushner said. “It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”

It’s worth noting that the website for the Strategic National Stockpile says that its purpose is to support the response efforts of “state, local, tribal, and territorial responders” when they request federal assistance.

Trump later took aim at governors, who he said thank him during their calls but then take to TV to criticize him.

Scroll down for our full coverage of the briefing:

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