A pair of governors pushed back on President Trump’s assertion that states have enough coronavirus testing capacity to reopen their economies.
During Sunday’s State of the Union on CNN, Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam both denied the president’s claim, calling it “absolutely false” and “delusional,” respectively.
“I think this is probably the No. 1 problem in America and has been from the beginning of this crisis. The lack of testing,” Hogan said. “And I’ve repeatedly made this argument to the leaders in Washington on behalf of the rest of the governors in America.
“I can tell you, I talk to governors on both sides of the aisle nearly every single day,” he continued. “The administration, I think, is trying to ramp up testing. They are doing some things with respect to private labs, but to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing, and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren’t doing our job is just absolutely false.”
President Trump’s claim that states have enough tests to reopen “is just absolutely false,” says Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. “It’s not accurate to say there’s plenty of testing out there and the governors should just get it done. That’s just not being straightforward.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/0K48hRAgzI
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 19, 2020
The Republican governor gave the Trump administration credit for making “some strides” but added, “It’s not accurate to say there’s plenty of testing out there, and the governors should just get it done. That’s just not being straightforward.”
Northam had a similar response when pressed by host Jake Tapper. He said, “That’s just delusional to be making statements like that. We have been fighting every day for PPE, and we’ve got some supplies now coming in. We’ve been fighting for testing. It’s not a straightforward test.
“That’s just delusional, to be making statements like that,” Virginia Gov. Northam says about President Trump’s claim that states have enough tests to reopen. “To have no guidance to the state levels is just irresponsible because we’re not there yet” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/wzowhOAEUj
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 19, 2020
“We don’t even have enough swabs, believe it or not, and we’re ramping that up,” the Democratic governor added. “But for the national level to say that we have what we need and really to have no guidance to the state levels is just irresponsible, because we’re not there yet.”
The Trump administration on Friday announced that states have enough tests for the coronavirus to enter the first phase of reopening their economies and that the federal government will “work every single day to make sure that states and communities have the testing they need to reopen at the time and manner of their choosing.”
After the pushback from the governors, the president tweeted later Sunday, “I am right on testing.”
Just like I was right on Ventilators (our Country is now the “King of Ventilators”, other countries are calling asking for help-we will!), I am right on testing. Governors must be able to step up and get the job done. We will be with you ALL THE WAY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2020
