Schumer Urges Meadows To Push Trump To Appoint COVID-19 Czar

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 29: Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., watches Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, talk to reporters in the Senate Subway during a break in the Senate Impeachment Trial of President ... UNITED STATES - JANUARY 29: Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., watches Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, talk to reporters in the Senate Subway during a break in the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a tweet Monday that he spoke with newly appointed White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to help him push President Trump to appoint a coronavirus czar.

Politico Playbook reported Monday that Schumer called up Meadows the night before to help him convince Trump to fully invoke the Defense Production Act and to appoint a czar who would be in charge of the production and distribution of medical supplies and equipment to help combat the coronavirus outbreak.

Hours later, Schumer confirmed Politico’s report in a tweet, which included his shortlist of coronavirus czar candidates.

Schumer’s Sunday night call with Meadows comes on the heels of his public plea to Trump regarding the appointment of a military leader to address the shortage of medical supplies amid surging COVID-19 cases.

During the White House coronavirus task force’s briefing Thursday evening, news broke of Trump sending Schumer a scathing letter following their phone call when the New York senator attempted to make his case.

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