President Trump delivered a message of gratitude to truckers across the United States for keeping supply chains running during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Thank God for truckers,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday.
Appearing in the Rose Garden, flanked by two large semi-trucks, the president thanked “heroes” in the trucking industry for their services. He was joined by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao at the event, which was intended to celebrate truckers.
“At a time of widespread shutdowns, truck drivers form the lifeblood of our economy, and the absolute lifeblood,” Trump said. “For days and sometimes weeks on end, truck drivers leave their homes and deliver supplies that American families need and count on during this national crisis, and at all other times, they’re always there.”
“In the war against the virus, American truckers are the foot soldiers who are really carrying us to victory. They are. They’ve done an incredible job,” Trump continued. “We’ve had no problems. It’s been just, it’s been just great, and we want to thank you very much.”
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Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and who has been the transportation chief since the start of Trump’s presidency, said it “would be impossible to keep our economy moving” without truckers who transport food, supplies, and medical equipment to those in need during the pandemic.
“At the president’s direction, we have reached out to the trucking industry on an unprecedented basis, listening to your concerns, providing regulatory relief, and helping ensure that state truck stops and state rest stops are open, and food is available,” Chao said.
“Truckers are playing a heroic role in helping America cope during this crisis,” she said, noting that truckers will also play a pivotal role in reopening the U.S. economy as it begins to recover from the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.
“You are truly America’s heroes,” Chao added.
Some members of the trucking industry also spoke at the White House event on a sunny day in Washington, D.C. One driver, Stephen Richardson, recounted how he usually hauls whiskey for Jack Daniels, but noted that now the company is producing hand sanitizer during the crisis.
American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear and other industry leaders were also in attendance.
