President Trump accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, of using politics in his response to an outbreak of the coronavirus in his state after he blamed Trump for not providing more support.
“Cuomo wants ‘all states to be treated the same,'” Trump tweeted early Tuesday morning. “But all states aren’t the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big ‘hotspot,’ West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases.”
Cuomo wants “all states to be treated the same.” But all states aren’t the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big “hotspot”, West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases. Andrew, keep politics out of it….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020
Trump continued: “Andrew, keep politics out of it….”
The president was responding to a tweet from Cuomo on Monday in which the governor suggested Trump was not doing enough to help provide resources to New York.
“You’re supposed to be the President,” Cuomo wrote.
I have to do more?
No — YOU have to do something! You’re supposed to be the President. https://t.co/tYeDt1lcOZ
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 16, 2020
The state reported 967 confirmed cases of the virus, jumping from the 729 cases on Sunday. There have been 10 confirmed deaths, including seven in New York City, according to the New York Times.
In an op-ed for the Times on Sunday, Cuomo called on Trump to mobilize the military to help set up testing sites and hospital beds in hot spot areas.
“State and local governments alone simply do not have the capacity or resources to do what is necessary, and we don’t want a patchwork quilt of policies,” he wrote. “We have had disagreements about your actions against New York, which we can pursue at another time. Today, let’s work together as Americans. Time is short.”
