April 4, 2020! Press briefing at WH w/ Trump, Pence, Birx, Fauci!

TRUMP: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS A BUSY TIME. VERY BUSY TIME. WE ARE FIGHTING AND ENDURING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER. WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS. I SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO GET ADDITIONAL THINGS TO THE STATES. WE TOOK CARE OF THE HOSPITAL. 2500 BEDS THAT WE BUILT JUST RECENTLY. WE OPENED IT UP. IT IS SOMETHING WE DID IN LOUISIANA AND WE ARE DOING IT IN DALLAS. NOW WE ARE MANNING THE HOSPITALS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IS DELIVERING SUPPLIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION. WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTH CARE AND DISASTER EXPERTS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. 151 NATIONS ARE GOING THROUGH IT. WE ARE TELLING GOVERNORS WE CANNOT GO THERE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT. THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE TOUGHEST WEEK. THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DEATH, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT A LOT LESS DEATH THAN IF THIS WAS NOT DONE. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FOCUS. YOU LOOKED AT WHAT IS GOING ON IN NEW JERSEY. EVERY DECISION WE MAKE IS MADE TO SAVE LIVES. THAT IS OUR SOLE CONSIDERATION. WE WANT AS FEW LIVES LOST AS POSSIBLE. IT IS CRITICAL THAT CERTAIN MEDIA OUTLETS STOP SPREADING FALSE RUMORS AND CREATING FEAR AND PANIC WITH THE PUBLIC. IT IS INCREDIBLE. I COULD NAME THEM. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME ONES. I GUESS THEY ARE LOOKING FOR RATINGS. SO BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY. THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT. YOU LOOK AT THE LEVELS AND APPROVAL RATINGS AND THEY ARE THE LOWEST THEY HAVE EVER BEEN. SO BAD FOR THE WORLD. THEY OUGHT TO PUT IT TOGETHER FOR LITTLE WHILE AND THEN GO BACK TO YOUR FAKE NEWS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT FEDERAL DECISION-MAKERS CUT THROUGH THE FOG AND CONFUSION TO FOLLOW THE FACTS AND THE SCIENCE. MANY HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH IN THE HOTSPOTS ARE COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH US. THEY ARE THRILLED TO BE WHERE THEY ARE. WE ARE ASKING STATES TO MEET THE DEMAND. WE ARE STOCKPILING LARGE AMOUNTS. WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT IN A LITTLE WHILE. WE WANT DISTRIBUTIONS TO BE MADE. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF A LARGE COUNTRY. I WANT TO THANK THE MILITARY FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING. WE WILL BE ADDING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MILITARY TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THE STATES. THOUSANDS OF MEDICAL WORKERS. WE WILL BE TELLING THEM WHERE THEY ARE GOING. THEY ARE GOING INTO A BATTLE THAT THEY HAVE NEVER REALLY TRAINED FOR. NO ONE HAS TRAINED FOR THIS SINCE 1917. THAT WAS THE GREATEST OF THIS TYPE OF BATTLE. WE HAD SOME VERY GOOD REPORTS COMING OUT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. CALIFORNIA. AREAS WE WERE GETTING READY TO HIT HARD. NOW WE CAN GO TO OTHER AREAS. LOUISIANA, IT IS AMAZING THE WAY IT SPREAD OUT. WE TALKED TO THEM AND WE TELL THEM AND WE EXPLAINED THAT FOR THE MOST PART THEY ARE GOOD WITH IT. IT IS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT OFFICIALS WOULD SEEK TO GET THE MOST THEY CAN GET IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. BUT THE FEARS OF THE SHORTAGES HAVE LED TO INFLATED REQUESTS. WE HAD ONE STATE ASKING FOR 40,000 VENTILATORS. THINK OF IT. THEY ARE ADMITTING THEY DO NOT NEED THAT MANY. NO ONE HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN TERMS OF VENTILATORS. IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PRIORITIES. EVERYBODY HAS PROPER INTENTIONS. WHEN THEY KNOW THEY DO NOT NEED IT, THEY WANTED ANYWAY. IT GIVES THEM THAT EXTRA FEELING OF SATISFACTION. WE CANNOT DO THAT. IT IS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE. WE ARE A BACKUP. WE ARE THE GREATEST BACKUP THAT EVER EXISTED. SPECIALLY WHEN WE GET INTO THE HOSPITAL BUILDING BUSINESS. WE HAVE BUILT NUMEROUS HOSPITALS. WE WANT TO BE READY WHEN THE BRUNT OF IT COMES. LET ME BE EXTREMELY CLEAR ABOUT ONE POINT. WE WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SAFEGUARD OUR GREAT AMERICAN CITIZENS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE EVERY POWER AND AUTHORITY AND RESOURCE WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE HEALTHY, SAFE, SECURE, AND GET THIS THING OVER WITH. WE WANT TO FINISH THIS WAR. WE HAVE TO OPEN OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. THIS COUNTRY WAS NOT MEANT FOR THIS. WE NEED TO OPEN OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. I SPOKE TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF ALL OF THE SPORTS LEAGUE. ADAM SILVER, COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION. GARY BETTMAN, COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE PGA TOUR. GARYTHE COMMISSIONER OF MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER. PRESIDENT OF THE BREEDERS' CUP. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHERS. THESE ARE ALL THE GREAT LEADERS OF SPORT. THEY HAVE TO GET BACK. THEY CANNOT DO THIS. THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF OUR NATION WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS. WE ARE USING THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACTS VERY POWERFULLY. AND SOMETIMES DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY. JUST THE THREAT OF IT IS USUALLY ENOUGH. FEMA AND HHS HAVE ORDERED 180 MILLION, WHOEVER HEARD OF THAT? WE ARE WORKING WITH 3M TO SEE IF THAT ALL WORKS OUT. WE WANT TO HELP OUR COUNTRY. I THINK IT WILL BE OK. WE WILL SOON LET YOU KNOW. WE NEED THE MASKS. WE DON'T WANT OF THE PEOPLE GETTING IT. THAT IS WHY WE ARE INTEREST -- INSTITUTING THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT. YOU COULD CALL IT RETALIATIONS. IF PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE US WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR PEOPLE, WE WILL BE VERY TOUGH. WE HAVE USED IT PLENTY. IT WORKS VERY WELL. IT IS 60 MILLION MASKS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. 180 MILLION N95 MASKS. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE THING. A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE TO STOP PLAYING THIS GAME. IF A GOVERNOR WANTS 200 VENTILATORS I SAY WE ARE GOING TO SEND YOU 1000. THEN THE MEDIA MEETS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THEY SAY, YOU HAVE MORE. IT IS NOT ENOUGH. THE PRESIDENT SHOULD HAVE SENT MORE. WE GIVE THEM 1000. THEY SAY HOW IS THE PRESIDENT DOING? IT IS POLITICS. THAT IS UNFORTUNATE. WE CANNOT PLAY THE GAME. THAT IS ONE PARTY DOING IT AND THE OTHER PARTY IS HAPPY. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A LONG TIME. MANY OF THEIR CUPBOARDS WERE BARE. FEMA AND HHS CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DATA. WE HAVE BEEN ASKING STATES TO PROVIDE US WITH DAILY UPDATES ON THE NUMBER OF VENTILATORS AND THEIR UTILIZATION RATES. SOME STATES HAVE MORE VENTILATORS THAN THEY NEED. THEY DON'T EVEN LIKE TO ADMIT IT. THEY WILL ADMIT IT WHEN EVERYTHING IS OVER. THIS STAT IS VITALLY NECESSARY SO WE CAN ENSURE VENTILATORS ARE GETTING TO THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. FEMA AND HHS AND OTHERS ARE FORMULATING CRITERIA EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY THIS HORRIBLE, INVISIBLE ENEMY CHANGES COURSE. IF YOU WERE FIGHTING THE NORMAL FIGHT, YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING. THEY HIT ONE AND THEN ANOTHER AND THEN ANOTHER STATE. THEY HIT AREAS YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT. WE ARE WATCHING IT AND WE ARE CAPTURING IT. OUR GOAL IS TO STAY SEVERAL DAYS AHEAD OF THE NEEDS IN EACH STATE. YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT IF THE CITY AND STATES LOCALIZE KNOWLEDGE
PRES. TRUMP: SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND IF A STATE HAS VENTILATORS, AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO NEED, THEY SHOULD GIVE THEM OVER. AND WE SHOULD MOVE THEM WITH THE OTHER ONES. HAVE NOW 10,000 IN OUR PIPELINE. STOCKPILED, 10,000, CLOSE. AND WE ARE MOVING SOME INTO NEW YORK. SO GOING TO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL. WE ARE MOVING SOME INTO NEW YORK CITY, AND STATE, SEPARATELY. AND WE ARE BRINGING THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WILL NEED THEM. I CAN ALSO REPORT THAT AT MY DIRECTION 1000 MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE DEPLOYING TO NEW YORK CITY TO ASSIST WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED THE MOST. THAT IS THE HOTTEST OF ALL THE HOTSPOTS. NEW JERSEY IS RIGHT THERE. IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO IT. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS OVERFLOW. BUT NEW JERSEY, IT IS A GREAT STATE. IT IS A CROWDED STATE, ALSO. WHERE YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON TOP OF PEOPLE, IT IS ALWAYS TOUGH. BUT WE ARE BRINGING SOME OF THE VENTILATORS, WE GOT SOME FOR NEW JERSEY JUST YESTERDAY, AND WE ARE GOING TO BRING THEM SOME MORE, INCLUDING DOCTORS. WE ARE GETTING DOCTORS, NURSES, RESPIRATORY WORKERS, AND OTHERS, SUPPORT WORKERS. AND THESE ARE FROM THE MILITARY. WE ARE TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF THE MILITARY AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT AND NOW WE ARE GET ON A LARGER BASIS. AND I WANT TO THANK SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASPER, WHO WILL DETAIL SOME OF WHAT WE ARE DOING TOMORROW AND MONDAY. AS THE SITUATION IN WASHINGTON STATE CONTINUES TO STABILIZE, WE ARE RETURNING A 300 BED FEDERAL MEDICAL STATION TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION, WHERE WE NEED IT. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. THEY WILL NOT BE NEEDING IT. AND WE APPRECIATE THEM LETTING US KNOW. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION. MANY GOVERNORS INITIALLY MADE LARGE REQUEST FOR FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR STATES IN ANTICIPATION OF A GREATER NUMBER OF CASES, BUT THE RESIDENTS OF WASHINGTON STATE HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL DISSENTING GUIDELINES. THEY REALLY HAVE. -- FEDERAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES. I'M PLEASED TO REPORT ORGAN WILL BE SPENDING AND SENDING, THEY ARE SPENDING -- I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT OREGON WILL BE SPENDING AND SENDING HIM A THEY HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. THERE ALSO SENDING 140 VENTILATORS DIRECTLY TO NEW YORK AND WE APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO THINK THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE GREAT WORK HE IS DOING EVERY DAY DEALING WITH OUR NATION'S GOVERNORS. MIKE PENCE HAS BEEN WORKING DAY AND NIGHT ON THIS. AND WE WANT TO GET IT OVER. HE HAS TO GET MORE SLEEP THAN HE HAS BEEN GETTING. HE HAS NOT BEEN GETTING VERY MUCH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT. THE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE JOINING FORCES TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, THEY REALLY ARE. IN ADDITION TO OUR COURAGEOUS DOCTORS, NURSES AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE INCREDIBLE FOOD SUPPLY WORKERS, WHO ARE FEEDING OUR NATION. I SPOKE A LITTLE WHILE AGO TO SENATOR BOZEMAN, YOU KNOW SENATOR BOZEMAN, WE ALL DO. HE IS A GREAT SENATOR, HE IS A GREAT PERSON. WE SPOKE THIS MORNING AND DISCUSSED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS, PROCESSORS AND A STREETERS IN OUR NATIONS PRAYERS. I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FOR THE INCREDIBLE JOB HE HAS BEEN DOING. -- IN OUR NATION'S PRAYERS. A LOT OF THE CENTERS AND CONGRESS PEOPLE AND EVERYONE IS WORKING VERY HARD. I INTEREST MINISTRY -- MY ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING AGGRESSIVELY TO PIONEER NEW MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES TO TREAT AND PUT -- PREVENT INFECTION. WE ARE WORKING ON A LOT OF THINGS. WE MUST YOUTUBE LIES -- WE MUST UTILIZE OUR NATION SCIENTIFIC BRILLIANCE TO VANQUISH THE VIRUS. HAVE TO VANQUISH THE VIRUS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY. AND WE HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. BUT WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK. THIS WEEK, THE FDA ESTABLISHED THE CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, WHICH IS EXPEDITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ANTIVIRAL AND OTHER THERAPIES AND THEY ARE DOING IT ON A VERY RAPID BASIS. AND I THINK WE ARE HAVING SOME VERY GOOD RESULTS AND WE WILL HELL YOU ABOUT -- WE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT. HHS CONTINUES TO SPEED ABOUT AND A THERAPIES DERIVED FROM HUMAN BLOOD, THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LESSEN THE SEVERITY OR SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THE ILLNESS. AND, AS YOU KNOW, LAST SATURDAY, THE FDA ALSO GAVE EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION FOR HYDROXY CHLOROQUINE AND THE HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE IS A, I HOPE IT IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT ANSWER. WE ARE HAVING SOME VERY GOOD THINGS HAPPENING WITH IT. AND WE ARE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTING IT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE. IT IS GOING INTO THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE TO TREAT CERTAIN PATIENTS. AND WE HAVE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOSES OF IT. 29 MILLION. IN ADDITION, WE ARE MAKING IT AND WE ARE GETTING IT FROM VARIOUS OTHER LOCATIONS AND COUNTRIES. IN ONE CASE I CALLED THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA THIS MORNING. THEY MAKE LARGE AMOUNT OF HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, VERY LARGE AMOUNTS, FRANKLY. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE 1.5 BLAME PEOPLE -- 1.5 BILLION PEOPLE AND THEY MAKE A LOT OF IT. AND I SAID I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THEY WOULD RELEASE THE AMOUNTS THAT WE ORDERED AND THEY ARE GIVING IT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. BUT THEY DO MAKE, INDIA MAKES A LOT OF IT. BUT WE HAVE ALREADY 29 MILLION, IF YOU LOOK, THAT IS A BIG NUMBER. 29 MILLION DOSES. AND WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOSES THAT ARE BEING MADE HERE, AND MANY MILLIONS OF DOSES THAT ARE MADE ELSEWHERE THAT ARE BEING SHIPPED HERE, AND WILL BE ARRIVING. WE ARE JUST HEARING REALLY POSITIVE STORIES. AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO COLLECT THE DATA. BUT, I WILL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF. IT HAS BEEN OUT FOR A LONG TIME. IT IS A MALARIA DRUG. IT IS ALSO A DRUG FOR LUPUS. THERE IS A STEADY OUT THAT PEOPLE WITH LUPUS ARE NOT CATCHING THIS HORRIBLE VIRUS, THEY ARE NOT AFFECTED SO MUCH BY IT AND MAYBE THAT IS CORRECT, MAYBE IT IS FALSE, YOU WILL HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT. BUT THERE IS A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE THINGS HAPPENING WITH THAT. THAT IS A GAME CHANGER IF THAT IS THE CASE. OBVIOUSLY WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE VACCINES, BUT THE VACCINES HAVE TO BE DOWN THE ROAD BY PROBABLY 14, 15, 16 MONTHS. WE ARE DOING GREAT ON THE VACCINES PAIRED I THINK CONSONANT JOHNSON IS LEADING, SEEMS TO BE LEADING THE STUDIES -- GREAT ON THE VACCINES. I THINK JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS LEADING OR SEEMS TO BE LEADING THE STUDIES. TREMENDOUS PROMISE ON WHAT HAS JUST BEEN MENTIONED. IN ADDITION, GILEAD SCIENCES HAS INITIATED A PHASE THREE CLINICAL STUDY OF THE DRUG REMDESIVIR. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 1000 PATIENTS, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD STUDY. OTHER DRUGS ARE ALSO BEING STUDIED IN PATIENTS. THIS WEEK ORACLE, GREAT COMPANY, DONATED A WEB PORTAL. LARRY, AN AMAZING GUY. AND A PLATFORM TO THE GOVERNMENT TOGETHER REAL-TIME DATA ON HOW PATIENTS ARE RESPONDING TO NEW TREATMENTS. THEY HAVE A SOPHISTICATED SITE AND WILL BE LEARNING -- WE WILL BE LEARNING A LOT FROM ORACLE AND THANK YOU TO THEM. WE ARE ALSO SPENDING ECONOMIC DOLLARS LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE, AND SPEEDING ECONOMIC RELIEF TO AMERICAN WORKERS, FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES. YESTERDAY THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHED THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM TO HELP EMPLOYEES KEEP PAYING THEIR WORKERS. IN 24 HOURS THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND OVER 1200 LINEAR PARTNERS PROCESSED 28,000 LOANS, IT IS SO FAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, AND BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT HAS WORKED OUT INCREDIBLY WELL. AND I WANT TO THANK BANK OF AMERICA, AND J.P. MORGAN CHASE, AT A LOT OF THE BIG BANKS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. AND A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY BANKS. COMMUNITY BANK HAVE REALLY JUMPED ON IT. AND IT IS SO FAR GOING WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THE SBA ALSO CLARIFIED THAT FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING HOUSES OF WORSHIP, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM. THAT IS GREAT. AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ON THE SAME TERMS AS EVERY OTHER APPLICANT. IF WE RUN OUT OF FUNDING FOR THE EMPLOYEE RETENTION PROGRAM I WILL IMMEDIATELY ASK CONGRESS FOR MORE MONEY. THIS IS MONEY THAT IS GOING DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED, THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT AND THE WORKERS THAT NEED IT. FINALLY I CAN, BECAUSE WHEN WE OPEN, WE WANT TO OPEN STRONG, WITH BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING. REMEMBER, WE ARE THE GREATEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. AND THEN ONE DAY, WE ARE TOLD, YOU HAVE TO SHUT IT DOWN AND STOP IT UNTIL EVERYONE TO STAY HOME. BECAUSE OF THIS HORRIBLE VIRUS. AND WE DID THAT. AND WE DID THE RIGHT THING. BUT NOW WE HAVE TO OPEN. WE HAVE TO OPEN OUR COUNTRY. FINALLY, I CAN REPORT THAT AS OF TODAY, THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS SUCCESSFULLY CORNERED THE SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF 40,000 AMERICANS STOP ABROAD WITH OVER 400 FLIGHTS FROM 75 COUNTRIES. MANY OF THOSE COUNTRIES WERE TERRIFIC IN HELPING US AND I'M PRESCIENT THAT VERY MUCH. SOME OF THEM, I HAD TO -- I APPRECIATED THAT VERY MUCH. SOME OF THEM, I HAD TO CALL THE COUNTRIES, THE LEADERS WHO I KNOW. AND ONCE I DID, THEY SNAPPED LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE. THEY REALLY HELP US AND I APPRECIATE THAT. SO WE BROUGHT BACK 40,000 AMERICANS WHO ARE LITERALLY STUCK IN SOME COUNTRIES WITH NO CHANCE OF GETTING OUT. AND WE GOT THEM BACK. 400 FLIGHTS. 75 COUNTRIES. THINK OF THAT. AND THOSE COUNTRIES IN A MOST EVERY INSTANCE HAD A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE VIRUS. I WANT TO THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MOST OF ALL FOR THE SELFLESS SACRIFICES THEY ARE MAKING FOR OUR NATION. I KNOW THAT IT IS NOT PLEASANT. ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEIR FAMILY BETTER AND THEY LOVE THEIR FAMILY MORE THAN EVER. AND THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING. THEY HAVE APTLY GOT TO KNOW THEM. -- THEY HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM. THEY'RE IN THE SAME HOUSE AS THEIR FAMILY FOR A LONG TIME. I GUESS IT COULD WORK THE OTHER WAY PERHAPS BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP FOLLOWING OUR GUIDELINES ON SLOWING THE SPREAD. THIS IS A WAR EFFORT AND IT IS THE PATRIOTIC DUTY OF EVERY CITIZEN, WHILE WE MAY BE MORE PHYSICALLY DISTANT FOR A TIME, WE ARE CLOSER TOGETHER AND THROUGH THIS GREAT NATIONAL UNITY IS HAPPENING. WE ARE HAVING A GREAT UNITY DEVELOPING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT THINK WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP LIKE THIS AND WE WILL CONQUER THE DISEASE AND RESTORE OUR NATION TO ITS FULL AND GLORIOUS MIGHT AND WE ARE DOING REALLY WELL. AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF EVER BE OUT THERE. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU. -- I AM REALLY PROUD OF EVERYBODY OUT THERE. I AM REALLY PROUD OF YOU. IT IS SOMETHING NOBODY COULD HAVE EVER PROJECTED. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ONE IS THE CONTAGION. IT IS SO CONTAGIOUS. BUT HE HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHERE IT IS SO CONTAGIOUS -- NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHERE IT IS SO CONTAGIOUS. CANBY FEET AWAY AND CATCH IT. THINGS THAT NOBODY EVEN THOUGHT OF, THE LEVEL OF CONTAGION. SO WE ARE GETTING THERE. YOU CAN BE SEVERAL FEET AWAY AND CATCH IT, IS GOING TO BE DASHING TO BE ON THE SURFACE. SO WE ARE GETTING THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK DR. HAHN TO SPEAK. HE HAS BEEN DOING HUMANS WORK AT THE FDA. -- YEOMAN'S WORK.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT I'M GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT A DOXY CHLOROQUINE AND THE EFFORTS -- ABOUT HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE AND THE EFFORTS AROUND THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE THANKS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. MITIGATION OF SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART -- IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS. LAST WEEK WE AUTHORIZED DONATED HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE TO COME INTO THE COUNTRY AND ENTER THE GENERAL CIRCULATION. WE ARE PRIORITIZING THIS DRUG TO COME IN FOR CLINICAL TRIALS AND FOR GENERAL USE FOR PHYSICIANS. PHYSICIANS, BASED UPON THEIR INTERACTION OF PATIENTS AND THEIR ASSESSMENT OF RISKS AND BENEFITS, CAN'T WRITE A PRESCRIPTION FOR HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE IF THEY THINK -- CAN WRITE A PRESCRIPTION FOR A PATIENT IF THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE. WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME AND THAT ASSESSMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE BETWEEN A PATIENT AND A DOCTOR. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE DRUGS ARE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEM OR NEED THEM FOR THE OTHER INDICATIONS, LUPUS, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION. ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT WE, ON FRIDAY, STOOD UP EIGHT FORM 11 -- STOOD UP A FORMAL CONVALESCENT PLASMA PROGRAM. THERE ARE REPORTS THIS IS OF BENEFITS TO PATIENTS AND OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE HAD THE CORONAVIRUS. THIS MEANS TAKING PLASMA FROM PATIENTS WHO HAVE HAD THE VIRUS AND RECOVERED, AND TRANSFERRING THE IMMUNITY, THE IMMUNO GLOB AND FROM -- IMMUNIGLOBINS FROM THAT PERSON TO SOMEONE WHO IS SICK. THE RED CROSS IS INVOLVED AND IT SHOWS GREAT PROMISE. IT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED BUT IT PROVIDES HOPE. WE DO NOT WANT TO PROVIDE FALSE HOPE, BUT DEFINITELY HOPE. THANK YOU. DR.
FAUCI: I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MOMENTS TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS AND HOW IT RELATES TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT JUST SAID ABOUT THE NEED FOR US TO BEGIN TO INK ABOUT RETURNING TO SOME DEGREE OF NORMALITY. -- TO THINK ABOUT RETURNING TO NORMALITY. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THIS WEEK AS WE GO INTO NEXT WEEK. YOU WILL SEE AND WE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED, BECAUSE OF THE KINETICS OF HOW THIS VIRUS WORKS, IS WE ARE GOING TO SEE THERE ARE DEBTS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP. -- DEATHS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP. BUT THERE REALLY IS A CASCADING OF EVENTS, WHERE YOU HAVE NEW CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, INTENSIVE CARE AND DEATHS. AT THE SAME TIME WE MAY SEE AN INCREASE IN DEATHS, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE EFFECTIVE MITIGATION IN THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES. AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT AND LOOKING AT. SO WE WILL PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT, AND HOPEFULLY THE KINDS OF NEGATIONS ARE TALKING ABOUT WILL HAVE -- THE KINDS OF MITIGATIONS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAY ALLOW US TO CHANGE A BIT. THE QUESTION ARISES, IS THE MITIGATION WORKING? LET'S LOOK HISTORICALLY AND THEN AT THE REALITY OF IT. CLEARLY IN THE COUNTRIES, CHINA INCLUDED, THAT HAVE INPUT MEANT IN STRICT KINDS OF PROGRAMS OF MITIGATION, CLEARLY IT WORKS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY WE HAVE SEEN INDICATIONS OF THAT IN WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON STATE WAS THE FIRST TO GET HIT. THEY PUT IN A VERY GOOD PROGRAM OF MITIGATION. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHARTS DR. BIRX SHOW THE OTHER DAY, THEY ARE DOING WELL. IT IS WORTH REITERATING WE HAVE TWO OPPOSING FORCES HERE. THE VIRUS WHICH IS TRANSMITTED FROM PEOPLE TO PEOPLE. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SEPARATED, THE VIRUS DOES NOT TRANSMIT. DOES NOT GO ANYWHERE. THAT IS THE REASON SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THE PHYSICAL SEPARATION. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE VICE PRESIDENTS CHARTS THAT HE SHOWS ALL THE TIME HERE FROM THIS PODIUM, EVERY ASPECTS OF THAT ENDING THE COVID OUTBREAK IN 30 DAYS HAS SOME ASPECT OF IT OF PHYSICAL SEPARATION. WHETHER THAT IS AVOIDING CROWDS, STAYING SIX FEET AWAY FROM PEOPLE, DOING TELEWORK, ALL OF IT DOES THAT. THAT IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT TOOL. WE WILL TALK ABOUT VACCINES AND DRUGS THAT WILL MITIGATE LATER. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO DO. I WANT TO PLEAD AS I DO MULTIPLE TIMES FROM HERE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, AS SOBERING AND DIFFICULT AS THIS IS, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE SO WE REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I WAS MENTIONING TO THE VICE PRESIDENT, LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS NOT HERE I WENT OUT WITH MY WIFE AND DID POWER WALKING DOWN MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. WE PASSED A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS WHERE PEOPLE WERE GETTING TAKEOUT FOOD. RESTAURANTS WERE CLOSED TO PEOPLE GOING IN BUT THEY WERE OPEN TO TAKEOUT. AND I SAW SOMETHING THAT MADE ME FEEL REALLY GOOD. THEY WERE SEPARATING THEMSELVES BY AT LEAST SIX FEET. IN FACT, SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS HAD LITTLE THINGS ON THE FLOOR THAT SAID STAND HERE AND THEN STAND THERE. I THINK THAT IF WE AS A NATION PULLED TOGETHER TO DO THAT, HOPEFULLY, WHEN WE COME BACK TO THESE PRESS CONFERENCES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU THAT THE CURVE WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS LATER. THANK YOU.
PRES. TRUMP: OK, PLEASE.
>> YOU SAID THE VIRUS IS SPRINGING UP IN AREAS YOU DID NOT EXPECT. YESTERDAY YOU SAID SOME STATES IN THE COUNTRY ARE NOT IN JEOPARDY. THE FACT THAT THIS IS UNPREDICTABLE, ISN'T THAT AN ARGUMENT FOR EVERY STATE TO HAVE ONE OF [INDISCERNIBLE] ? PRES.
TRUMP: I DON'T THINK SO. THERE ARE SOME STATES THAT HAVE BIG DANCE, FEW PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. -- BIG LAND, FEW PEOPLE AND THEY'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. AND THAT PERSON WILL BE BROUGHT TO A HOSPITAL IN A SECURE AREA. AS OPPOSED TO NEW YORK OR LOS ANGELES. LOS ANGELES IS DOING INCREDIBLY WELL BY THE WAY. AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE TOGETHER IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT CASES. PLEASE.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE MILITARY. A THOUSAND TROOPS GOING TO NEW YORK. ARE WE EXPECTING OTHER MASS DEPLOYMENTS?
PRES. TRUMP: NOT MASS. MANY PLACES ARE IN GREAT SHAPE. THERE REALLY HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. AND WE MAY ADD TO THE THOUSAND. BUT NEW YORK WILL GET ABOUT 1000 ILL AT TERRI PEOPLE, NURSES, -- 1000 MILITARY PEOPLE, NURSES, DOCTORS. MEDICAL MILITARY.
>> YOU TWEETED THAT YOU LIKED THE IDEA OF A SECOND CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON REOPENING. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ARE PLANTING -- IF YOU PLAN TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT?
PRES. TRUMP: THINKING ABOUT IT. WE HAVE TO OPEN OUR COUNTRY. THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. I CONTINUE TO SAY THAT. WE HAVE TO GET OUR COUNTRY OPEN.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR CALL WITH THE SPORTS COMMISSIONERS. DID YOU SAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET FANS BACK IN THE ARENAS IN AUGUST?
PRES. TRUMP: I WANT FANS BACK IN THE ARENAS WHENEVER WE ARE READY, AS SOON AS WE CANNOT, OBVIOUSLY. AND THE FANS WANT TO BE BACK AS WELL, THEY WANT TO SEE BASKET ALL AND BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY. THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR SPORTS AND GO OUT ONTO THE GOLF COURSES AND BREATHE NICE CLEAN BEAUTIFUL FRESH AIR. I CANNOT TELL YOU A DATE BUT I THINK IT WILL BE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SEPARATION FOR THE REST OF OUR TIMES ON THE PLANET. WE NEED IT FOR THIS. OF TIME -- WE NEED IT FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME, BUT EVENTUALLY PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO OCCUPY THE SEATS IN THE ARENAS. THEY WANT TO SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AT RESTAURANTS. THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE SIX FEET AWAY. SOME RESTAURANT MEN CALLED UP AND SAID I AM WORRIED BECAUSE I HAVE A SMALL RESTAURANT WITH NOT TOO MANY SEATS, HE SAID 120. IF I PRACTICE WHAT THIS IS, I AM DOWN TO 30 SEATS AND I CANNOT MAKE IT. I SAID, DO NOT MAKE -- DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT, THAT IS FOR A SHORT. OF TIME -- THAT IS FOR A SHORT TIME. THAT MEANS HER STADIUM IS HALF THE SIZE OF ONE MONTH AGO. NO, NO, NO. THEY ARE GOING TO BE CLOSE TOGETHER. THEY WILL BREED AIR THAT IS NOT AFFECTED, THAT IS NOT GOING TO KILL PEOPLE. -- THEY WILL BREED AIR -- BREATHE AIR THAT IS NOT INFECTED. I'M NOT GOING TO COMMIT TO A DATE BUT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND WE WILL BE BACK TO GOOD HEALTH SOONER. AS TONY TOLD THE STORY ABOUT THE RESTAURANT AND HOW THEY WERE SEPARATED AUTOMATICALLY, PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT, THEY ARE STAYING IN THEIR HOMES, THEY DO NOT WANT TO GO OUT. THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY KNOW IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT IS NOT VERY COMPLICATED. IT IS IN MANY WAYS A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.
>> YOUR PLANS FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION?
PRES. TRUMP: WE HAVE NO CONTINGENCY PLAN. WE ARE HAVING THAT CONVENTION AT THE END OF AUGUST AND WE THINK BY THE END OF AUGUST WE WILL BE IN GOOD SHAPE. WE HAVE NO CONTINGENCY. IT IS GOING TO BE IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. AND I THINK WE WILL HAVE A GREAT CONVENTION. I NOTICE, I THINK WE HAD AN OPPONENT, BUT I ALMOST DID NOT KNOW WHO IT WAS. HE GOT .0001% OF THE BOAT I HEARD HE DROPPED OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. -- OF THE VOTE.
>> LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING ON THE NEXT ROUND OF RELIEF PACKAGES. WHAT WAS NOT IN THE STIMULUS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN PHASE FOUR?
PRES. TRUMP: MORE MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HAS WORKED OUT WELL AND IT HAS BEEN SO EFFICIENT. THE BANKS ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND I THINK WE WILL NEED MORE MONEY THERE, BASED ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. I THINK THAT RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, THAT WOULD INCLUDE SPORTS LEAGUES AND ALL FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT, GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, TO WHERE THEY GET TAX DEDUCTIBILITY FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND FOR PEOPLE COME IN AND BUY TICKETS OR GO OUT FOR MEALS, AND CORPORATIONS CAN THEN SEND PEOPLE INTO THESE RESTAURANTS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME OTHERWISE OPENING, IN MY OPINION, NOT TO BE THE SAME FOR THE SPORTS LEAGUES. SO WE WANT TO SEE FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND FOR RESTAURANTS, DEDUCTIBILITY, SO CORPORATIONS CAN TAKE A DEDUCTION. THEY WILL SEND THEIR EXECUTIVES, THEY WILL SEND PEOPLE THERE, AND THEY GET A DEDUCTION. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL REALLY BRING LIFE BACK TO THE RESTAURANTS. I THINK MAKE THEM HOTTER THAN BEFORE. YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO HAVE THAT. AND WHEN THEY ENDED IT IT WAS NEVER THE SAME. IT WAS NEVER THE SAME.
>> YOU SAID YOU WANT TO SEE AS FEW LIVES LOST AS POSSIBLE IN THE PANDEMIC. BUT THERE ARE STILL EIGHT GOVERNORS, ALL REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE REFUSED TO ISSUE THESE STATE WIDE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS. YOUR OWN DR. FAUCI HAS SAID THAT STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO COMBAT THIS VIRUS.
PRES. TRUMP: WE HAVE A THING CALLED THE CONSTITUTION WHICH I CHERISH, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, THOSE GOVERNORS, I KNOW EVERYONE OF THEM, THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND BEING VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND AS YOU KNOW, I WANT THE GOVERNORS TO BE RUNNING THINGS. NOW, IN SOME CASES WE WILL SUPERSEDE. BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS NOT. IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL STATE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. BUT THEY ARE DOING VERY WELL. AND THEY ARE DOING A MAGNIFICENT JOB IN RUNNING THEIR STATES.
>> SOUTH CAROLINA HAS 1700 CASES OF CORONAVIRUS, UTAH HAS 1255. ARE THESE NOT STATES YOU THINK SHOULD HAVE?
PRES. TRUMP: I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
>> IT IS LARGER THAN SOME STATES THAT DO HAVE STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS. PRES.
TRUMP: IF I SAW SOMETHING WRONG, IF I SAW MASSIVE BREAKOUT OF WHICH THAT IS NOT, I WOULD COME DOWN VERY HARD.
>> DO THINK ABOUT GETTING AHEAD OF THOSE NUMBERS?
PRES. TRUMP: BY THE WAY, I THINK YOU'RE UP TO 92% OF THE COUNTRY IS COVERED AND FROM A CONSTITUTIONAL STANDPOINT THEY MADE THE DIFFERENCE, THEY CALLED THE SHOTS. YES, JEFF?
>> A QUESTION ABOUT MESSAGING. YOU ARE SAYING PEOPLE NEED TO FOLLOW THE MITIGATION EFFORTS BUT YOU ARE ALSO SAYING THE CURE MUST NOT BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM. WHICH IS IT? PRES.
TRUMP: NO, I AM JUST SAYING, WE HAVE TO GET THIS COUNTRY OPEN, JEFF. IT HAS TO GET OPEN. THIS COUNTRY WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE CLOSED. SO WE HAVE THE GREATEST WE HAVE EVER HAD AND THEN WE ARE PAYING PEOPLE TO STAY HOME? THINK OF IT. WE ARE PAYING PEOPLE NOT TO GO TO WORK. HOW ABOUT THAT? HOW DOES THAT PLAY? AND THEY WANT TO GO TO WORK THE WAY. THEY DO NOT WANT MONEY. THIS COUNTRY IS GREAT. BUT WE ARE PAYING PEOPLE AND WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK, THAT IS WHAT I AM SAYING. GO AHEAD.
>> ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM LAST NIGHT, YES OR NO QUESTION. WASN'T MICHAEL ATKINSON DOING THE JOB OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY THE JOB HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN HE SIMPLY TOOK THE WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT TO CONGRESS? WASN'T HE DOING THE JOB HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO, THAT THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS WERE PAYING HIM TO DO? AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TERMINATE HIM?
PRES. TRUMP: I THOUGHT HE DID AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE JOB. HE TOOK A WHISTLEBLOWER REPORT. IT WAS TOTALLY WRONG. IT WAS ABOUT MY CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE. HE TOOK A FAKE REPORT AND HE BROUGHT IT TO CONGRESS. WITH AN EMERGENCY, OK? NOT A BIG TRUMP FAN I CAN TELL YOU. INSTEAD OF SAYING, AND WE OFFER THIS TO HIM, NO, NO, WE WILL TAKE THE CONVERSATION, WITH A KIND OF DECEPTION AND DISHONESTY THAT WERE PRACTICED, I MIGHT NOT BE STANDING HERE. FORTUNATELY WE HAD TRANSCRIBED AND THE LIEUTENANT COLONEL ADMITTED IT WAS CORRECT. YOU ASKED A QUESTION. HE TOOK THIS WHISTLEBLOWER AND I KEEP SAYING WHERE'S ALYSSA BLOWER, RIGHT? -- WHERE IS THE WHISTLEBLOWER, RIGHT? AND WHY WAS HE ALLOWED TO BE, YOU CALL A FRAUDULENT OR INCORRECT TRANSCRIPT? SO WE OFFERED THIS IDEA, I DO NOT KNOW HIM I DO NOT THINK I EVER MET HIM, HE NEVER CAME INTO SEE ME. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT WITHOUT SEEING THE PERSON. HE NEVER CAME TO SEE ME, NEVER REQUESTED TO SEE ME. HE TOOK THIS TERRIBLE OSO BLOWER REPORT AND BROUGHT IT -- HE TOOK THIS TERRIBLE WHISTLEBLOWER REPORT AND BROUGHT IT TO CONGRESS. IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION, THAT WAS THE WHOLE THING. AND THEN AFTER HE SAW IT, HE MUST HAVE SET WELL, BECAUSE AS I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES, AND IT DRIVES YOU PEOPLE CRAZY, IT WAS A PERFECT CONVERSATION. SO, INSTEAD OF GOING AND SAYING, GEE, THIS IS A TERRIBLE THING HE SAID, ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS CONVERSATION. WELL, IT WAS A FRAUD. I DO NOT SAY THAT. YOU HAVE THE WHISTLEBLOWER, WHERE IS THE INFORMER? AND HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION. REMEMBER, BEFORE I DID, BEFORE I GAVE THE TRANSCRIPT, BEFORE I REVEALED THE REAL CONVERSATION, WHERE IS THE SECOND WHISTLEBLOWER? REMEMBER, WAIT, WAIT, THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SECOND WHISTLEBLOWER. BUT AFTER I GET THE CONVERSATION, HE JUST WENT AWAY HE MIRACULOUSLY WENT AWAY. WHERE IS THE INFORMER? BECAUSE THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN INFORMER? SO, LISTEN, I SAY THIS, WHERE IS THE INFORMER? REMEMBER, THE INFORMER WAS COMING FORWARD. BUT SEE, I DID ONE THING THAT SURPRISED EVERYBODY, THIS DELMON RIGHT HERE SAID, BOY, THAT WAS A SHOCKER. -- THIS GENTLEMAN RIGHT HERE SAID BOY, THAT WAS A SHOCKER. I GOT APPROVAL FROM UKRAINE AND THEY SAID ABSOLUTELY, YOU DID NOTHING WRONG. THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, FOREIGN MINISTER, SAID HE DID NOTHING WRONG. AND OVER THAT, WITH A 196-O VOTE BY REPUBLICANS, IMPEACHING THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES. HE IS A TOTAL DISGRACE.
>> DID YOU RUN BY YOUR DECISION TO DISMISS THE GENERAL -- PRES.
TRUMP: WE WILL GET OFF OF THIS. PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT. THAT'S MY DECISION. I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT. EVEN THE FAKE NEWS SAID "HE HAS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO IT." ASK HIM WHY YOU DIDN'T GO AND SEE THE ACTUAL CONVERSATION. HE EVEN SAID IT WAS POLITICALLY BIASED. HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT. THE REPORT COULD HAVE BEEN "YOU KNOW WHO THE WHISTLEBLOWER IS, SO DO YOU, SO DOES EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, SO DO I." EVERYBODY KNOWS. THEY GIVE THIS WHISTLEBLOWER STATUS HE DOESN'T DESERVE. HE IS A FAKE WHISTLEBLOWER. FRANKLY, SOMEBODY OUGHT TO SUE HIS -- OFF.
>> THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK SAYING HE HAS ACCEPTED 1000 VENTILATORS FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. ARE YOU CONCERNED? PRES.
TRUMP: WHAT HE DIDN'T SAY IS -- TWO VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE BROUGHT HIM THOSE VENTILATORS. TWO VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEIR NAME, I WILL GIVE YOU THEIR NAME. THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T MENTION -- IT CAME THROUGH THE CHINESE, THE COUNTRY OF CHINA COME BUT THEY WERE GIVEN BY TWO FRIENDS OF MINE. THE GOVERNOR ALSO ASKED FOR 40,000. HE WANTED 40,000 VENTILATORS. THE GOVERNOR HAD A CHANCE TO GET 16,000 A FEW YEARS AGO AND DECIDED NOT TO GET THAT. THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS ASKED FOR HELP. I GIVE THEM GOUR HOSPITALS -- FOUR HOSPITALS, FOUR MEDICAL CENTERS, AN ADDITIONAL HOSPITAL, MANY PEOPLE TO OPERATE THE HOSPITAL. THERE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE COVID HOSPITALS. INTERESTING WITH THE SHIP, THERE IS NOBODY DRIVING, NOBODY IS TAKING MOTORCYCLE RIDES DOWN THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY AT 100 MILES AN HOUR. PEOPLE AREN'T BEING INJURED. NOW THEY ARE ASKING WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN OPEN UP THE SHIP FOR COVID. WE HAVE GIVEN THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK MORE THAN ANYBODY HAS EVER BEEN GIVEN IN A LONG TIME. I THINK HE'S HAPPY. I WATCHED WHAT HE SAID TODAY. IT WAS FINE. I WOULDN'T SAY GRACIAS, IT WAS OK. GAVIN NEWSOM HAS BEEN GRACIOUS. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, THE JOB WE HAVE DONE, AND ALL OF CALIFORNIA.
>> WHY DOES IT MATTER IF THEY ARE GRACIOUS OR NOT GRACIOUS? PRES.
TRUMP: IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT WHAT I THINK IS WHEN WE HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO NEW YORK, MAYOR DE BLASIO HAS BEEN VERY NICE. HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN HIM. WE HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE VENTILATORS. BUT NOBODY HAS BEEN GIVEN LIKE NEW YORK. I KNOW HE APPRECIATES IT, HE JUST CAN'T QUITE GET THE WORDS OUT, SO HATS OK -- BUT THAT'S OK.
>> DR. FAUCI, ON THE REPRODUCTIVE VALUE OF THE VIRUS. THE WHO HAS 2.6, OTHERS A LITTLE HIGHER. DO YOU HAVE A NEW NUMBER BASED ON THOSE MITIGATION TECHNIQUES? PRES.
TRUMP: I THINK DEBORAH SHOULD ANSWER THAT, DR. BIRX.
>> IT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. IT IS WHY ALL OF THE MODELS, THEY ARE REEVALUATED IN LIGHT OF THE LEVEL OF THE IMPACT OF THE MITIGATION. NONE OF US HAD REALLY BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE. WHEN WE MODELED SCHOOL CLOSURES, DISTANCING, STAYING AT HOME, ALL OF THESE PIECES THAT HAD NEVER REALLY COME INTO THE MODEL BEFORE. THEY ARE WORKING ON THAT VERY DEAR REGIONALLY -- THEY ARE WORKING ON THAT VERY DILIGENTLY. WE DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE THE MODELS ARE UNTIL WE MOVE THROUGH THE EPIDEMIC. WE ARE TRYING RIGHT NOW, AND INSTEAD OF WORKING ON OUR NOT, WE ARE LOOKING AT TESTING AND TRIANGULATING POSITIVE CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICUS, AND THE RECOVERIES. THAT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO US. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE ARE EQUAL NUMBER OF STATES WITH LESS THAN 5% POSITIVE, DESPITE HIGH LEVELS OF TESTING. THERE ARE STATES THAT ARE MITIGATING AND MAKING THIS WORK. THERE ARE ALSO STATES THAT YOU KNOW OF, THE 18 STATES THAT HAVE THE LARGER OUTBREAKS. WE ARE WATCHING THEM VERY CAREFULLY, TRIANGULATING ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO ENSURE CLIENTS WHO COME TO THE HOSPITAL ARE CARED FOR. THEN THERE ARE STATES IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY ARE CHANGING OR NOT READ EACH OF THOSE STATES, AND EACH OF THOSE EPIDEMICS WITHIN THOSE STATES, MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT R VALUE. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS -- AND I THINK GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW THIS, STAYING IN ITALY -- SPAIN AND ITALY ARE MOVING THROUGH THIS. THEY ARE SEEING THE NUMBER OF CASES DROPPED. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HOSPITALS DROPPED. ON OUR MODELS AND DATA, WE ARE ABOUT 12 DAYS BEHIND THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, WE SEE IN THE U.S. REALLY GOOD CASE STUDIES OF THE IMPACT OF WASHINGTON STATE, OF CALIFORNIA. A SERIES OF SMALLER STATES, AS WELL. WE ARE TRYING TO LEARN FROM THEM HOW TO DO SURVEILLING. AND WITH THESE NEW HHS KITS, I WANT TO THANK ADMIRAL GERARD FOR GETTING THOSE OUT, BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT TESTING IN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY SO WE CAN DO SURVEILLANCE AND MITIGATION SIMULTANEOUSLY. WE CAN ANSWER THAT VERY QUESTION. IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ANSWER AT THIS MOMENT ACROSS THE U.S., BECAUSE EACH METRO CLUSTER IS ON A DIFFERENT PATHWAY AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE EPIDEMIC. I THINK WE SHOULD EMPHASIZE THROUGH. WE SEE ITALY, WE SEE SPAIN MOVING THROUGH. WE HOPE TO BE IN THAT SAME POSITION. AT THE SAME TIME, AS THE PRESIDENT SAID, HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS SUCCUMBING TO THIS VIRUS, WE ALL ARE. THAT'S WHY WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT IN THIS TRIANGULATION, THEY ARE TRACKING MINUTE BY MINUTE. WHEN WE SAY FEMA AND HHS IS TRACKING MINUTE BY MINUTE THE VENTILATOR HOSPITAL AND ICU BED S, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. ALSO BEING FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE. TO HAVE DOD TAKE 1000 HEALTH CARE OUT OF THEIR MEDICAL CORE IS A VERY BIG DEAL. I WAS IN THE MEDICAL CORE FOR 29 YEARS. WE NEVER DID THAT. THIS IS SAYING WE RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF AMERICAN LIVES. BUT THE VALUES WILL BE VARIABLE BY STATE.
>> YOU HAD BREAKING NEWS LAST NIGHT. I THINK THE PROBABLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR THE DEMOCRATS WILL BE JOE BIDEN. HE AGREED I WAS CORRECT WHEN I STOPPED PEOPLE FROM CHINA VERY EARLY FROM COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY. DR. FAUCI SAID IT WAS A BIG MOMENT. IT WOULD BE A MUCH DIFFERENT PICTURE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW HAD WE ALLOWED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM THE SPECIFIC AREA -- I DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO IT, FROM CHINA, TO COME IN HIGHLY INFECTED. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. I APPRECIATE THE FACT HE DID. I WAS CALLED XENOPHOBIC, RACIST, MANY THINGS, WHEN I DID THAT VERY EARLY. I GOT A LOT OF CREDIT FOR IT. THE FEDERALIST COVERED THE WHOLE JOURNEY. THEY SAID TRUMP WAS -- I DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE RESPECTED AUTHOR, THEY SAID TRUMP WAS RIGHT AT EVERY SINGLE MOVE. ON TOP OF THAT, HE WAS GOING THROUGH A FAKE IMPEACHMENT, A HOAX. I WAS GOING THROUGH A HOAX WHEN I MADE THE DECISION. THAT DOES TAKE A LITTLE TIME AND CERTAINLY A LITTLE THINKING TIME. I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCED THAT HE NOW AGREES I WAS CORRECT. YOU SAW THE REPORT COME OUT THAT I WAS CORRECT WHEN I STOPPED PEOPLE FROM CHINA COMING IN AT A VERY EARLY STAGE.
>> CAN WE TALK ABOUT CAPTAIN CURSOR THAT WAS REMOVED AS COMMANDER OF THE USS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE VIDEOS OF SAILORS CHEERING FOR HIM. OUR REPORTING SHOWS SOME SAILORS HAVE SAID THEY ARE WORRIED TO REENLIST, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CONVINCED COMMANDERS ARE TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH AND TAKING CARE OF THEM.
PRES. TRUMP: I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT. HERE WE HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST SHIPS IN THE WORLD, NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER, INCREDIBLE SHIP WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. AND YOU HAD ABOUT 120 THAT WERE INFECTED. I GUESS THE CAPTAIN STOPPED IN VIETNAM AND PEOPLE GOT OFF IN VIETNAM, PERHAPS YOU DON'T DO THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE. HISTORY WOULD SAY YOU DON'T NECESSARILY STOP AND LET YOUR SAILORS GET OFF. MORE IMPORTANT, HE WROTE A LETTER. THE LETTER WAS A FIVE-PAGE LETTER FROM THE CAPTAIN. IT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. THESE ARE TOUGH PEOPLE. THESE ARE TOUGH, STRONG PEOPLE. I THOUGHT IT LOOKED TERRIBLE. THEY MADE THE DECISION. THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WAS INVOLVED. I THOUGHT IT WAS TERRIBLE WHAT HE DID. TO WRITE A LETTER? THIS ISN'T A CLASS ON LITERATURE, THIS IS A CAPTAIN OF A MASSIVE SHIP THAT IS NUCLEAR POWERED. HE SHOULDN'T BE TALKING THAT WAY IN A LETTER. HE CAN CALL, ASK, SUGGEST. HE STOPPED IN VIETNAM. A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT OFF OF THE BOAT, THEY CAME BACK, AND THEY HAD INFECTION. I THOUGHT IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE CAPTAIN OF A SHIP -- I DON'T WANT TO COMMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, BUT I AGREE ON THEIR DECISION.
>> JOE BIDEN ACTUALLY JUST ATTACKED YOU IN A TWEET. PRES.
TRUMP: HE DIDN'T WRITE ANYTHING. HE HAS PEOPLE, PROFESSIONALS FROM THE DEMOCRATS --
>> "DONALD TRUMP IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILING TO PREPARE OUR NATION TO RESPOND TO IT." PRES.
TRUMP: HE DIDN'T WRITE THAT. THAT WAS DONE BY A DEMOCRAT OPERATIVE. HE'S PROBABLY NOT EVEN WATCHING RIGHT NOW. IF HE IS, HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S WATCHING. JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, IT WAS VERY NICE WHAT THEY WROTE. THEY RELEASED IT AT A STRANGE TIME. BUT HE ADMITTED I WAS RIGHT. IF YOU READ THE FEDERALIST STORY, WHICH MOST OF YOU WON'T, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO, BUT YOU WILL LEARN SOMETHING. IT GOES THROUGH A CHART, TIMES. I WAS EARLY, I DON'T THINK DR. FAUCI HAS CHANGED HIS MIND, BUT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP WHEN WE STOPPED CHINA FROM COMING IN. FROM THE SPECIFIC AREA THAT WAS HEAVILY INFECTED. WE WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT THING RIGHT NOW. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT JOE BIDEN SAID. EVERY ONCE IN A WIRE, I WILL SAY SOMETHING, MAKE A SPEECH, AND IT WILL BE CRITIQUED, AND I WILL GET THIS BEAUTIFUL, BRILLIANT CRITIQUE. JOE BIDEN DIDN'T WRITE THAT. HE WISHED HE DID, BUT HE DIDN'T.
>> I WANTED TO ASK DR. FAUCI A QUICK QUESTION. CHINA HAS WARNED OF RESURGENCE OF THE VIRUS. HAS THE U.S. DEVELOPED A PLAN IF A SECOND FIRE VIRUS OCCURS HERE?
>> ONE OF THE THING THAT IS PARALLEL ABOUT THINKING OF THE POSSIBILITY OF MITIGATION, ALLOWING THIS TO TURN THE CORNER, VERY MUCH ON THE FRONT BURNER IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DO. THE RISK OF A RESURGE IS REAL. WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE, AND WE WILL HAVE IN PLACE IS THAT AS YOU PULL BACK, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF IN A VERY PRISTINE AND PRECISE WAY TO DO THE CONTAINMENT WHEN YOU DO SEE IT. WHEN YOU GET TO MITIGATION, CONTAINMENT TAKES THE VACCINE, BECAUSE YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO MITIGATE. WHEN YOU GET DOWN, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T RESURGE. IT WILL REQUIRE THE ABILITY TO TEST, IDENTIFY, ISOLATE, AND DO CONTACT TRACING. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE IN PLACE, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL.
>> THERE WERE NOT MANY PEOPLE INFECTED AS NOW, EITHER RECOVERED OR DOING WELL ENOUGH, AND THEY ARE TRANSFERRING IT TO FAMILY MATTERS. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS OF HOSPITALS, THE RESULTS?
>> THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE WHO HAS RECOVERED FROM THE VIRUS DOESN'T HAVE THE VIRUS IN THEIR SYSTEM. YOU CAN TAKE PLASMA. IT IS A PRETTY ROUTINE PROCEDURE, YOU CAN DONATE A COUPLE TIMES A MONTH AND GIVE THAT PLASMA. THAT PLASMA CONTAINS THE PROTEINS IN THE BLOOD THAT HAVE THE ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE VIRUS. YOU CAN TAKE IT, PROCESS IT, AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE TO FILL. THAT ALLOWS YOU TO TRANSFER IMMUNITY. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MATCHED BY FAMILY OR ANYONE LIKE THAT. SINCE TUESDAY, WE HAVE ALLOWED ACADEMIC CENTERS, LABORATORIES, AND HOSPITALS TO DO THIS ON A COMPASSIONATE USE BASIS. WE PULLED IT TOGETHER IN AN EXTENDED ACCESS PROGRAM. THEY HAVE THE GREATEST SYSTEM AND CAPACITY FOR DOING THIS. THIS ALLOWS US TO SCALE UP SO WHEN PEOPLE GET SICK, WE CAN HAVE THESE DONATED PLASMA PACKS GIVEN TO A PATIENT.
>> WE DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE HAD, WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE BE DOING? DR.
HAHN: WE STARTED WITH THE RED CROSS IN THIS PROGRAM. WE ARE PLANNING TO ACTUALLY SCALE IT UP. WE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION THIS WEEK. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE. A GREAT QUESTION.
>> CLARIFIED A SITUATION WITH 3M. GERMANY SAID IT WAS AN ACT OF PRIVACY THAT MASKS WERE REVERTED TO THE U.S. INSTEAD OF BERLIN. DID THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN? SHOULD 3M BE FULFILLING CONTRACTS? PRES.
TRUMP: WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN 3M. THEY SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF OUR COUNTRY. THEY CAN SELL TO OTHERS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF OUR COUNTRY. THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DEALT WITH THEM HAVE DEALT SUCCESSFULLY WITH MANY COMPANIES OVER THE LAST MONTH. THEY DON'T LIKE THE WAY 3M HAS TREATED OUR COUNTRY. THEY DON'T FRANKLY LIKE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF 3M. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACT OF PIRACY. IT IS THE OPPOSITE. 3M HAS NOT TREATED OUR COUNTRY WELL. IF THEY DO, GREAT, IF THEY DON'T, THEY WILL HAVE A HELL OF A PRICE TO PAY. I SAY IT THAT WAY. I WATCHED HIM ON TELEVISION. TALKING ABOUT HOW IT IS SO HARD TO BELIEVE, SO HARD TO FATHOM. THEY SHOULD GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER. I GOT INVOLVED AND LOOKED AT WHAT HAPPENED, 3M HAS NOT TREATED OUR COUNTRY WELL.
>> WAS IT DIVERTED OR NOT? PRES.
TRUMP: WE WILL GET YOU THE INFORMATION.
>> I WAS WONDERING ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE IN REGARDS TO CORONAVIRUS, WHAT IS THE MEDICINE SAYING? DR.
FAUCI: WHAT IS THE QUESTION? INCIDENTS OF CORONAVIRUS?
>> IF YOU HAVE LUPUS, DO YOU HAVE A GREATER CHANCE? DR.
FAUCI: RIGHT NOW, THIS IS BEING LOOKED AT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINITIVE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY COMMENT. IT IS AN OBVIOUS GOOD QUESTION. IT MIGHT BE A WAY FOR US TO GET SOME INTERESTING AND POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT DATA AS TO THE ROLE OF THOSE MEDICATIONS. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING LOOKED AT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO SAY IT. PRES.
TRUMP: THEY CAN ALSO DO IT WITH Z PACK, SUBJECT TO YOUR DOCTOR'S APPROVAL. I HOPE THEY USE IT, BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE? IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE IN BAD SHAPE. IT HAS BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME. I HOPE THEY USE IT. WORK WITH DOCTORS, GET WHAT YOU HAVE TO GET. WE HAVE IT STOCKPILED. WE HAVE A LOT OF IT. WE ARE GETTING MORE OF IT. WE HAVE A LOT OF IT. I HOPE THEY USE IT, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN USED FOR A LONG TIME, THEREFORE IT HAS PASSED THE SAFETY TEST. THE FDA HAS BEEN TERRIFIC. Z I HAVE SEEN SOME RESULTS. IT IS EARLY, AND THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THE LUPUS THING. THERE IS A RUMOR THAT BECAUSE IT TAKES CARE OF LUPUS VERY EFFECTIVELY, IT'S USEFUL. THERE'S A STUDY THAT SAYS PEOPLE THAT HAVE LUPUS HAVEN'T BEEN CATCHING THIS VIRUS. MAYBE IT'S TRUE, MAYBE IT IS NOT. THERE'S ALSO OTHER STUDIES, WITH MALARIA. THE MALARIA COUNTRIES HAVE VERY LITTLE PEOPLE TO TAKE THIS DRUG FOR MALARIA, WHICH IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR MALARIA. THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE VERY LITTLE OF THIS VIRUS. YOU WILL CHECK IT OUT. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD -- IF IT WERE ME, I MIGHT DO IT ANYWAY, I MAY TAKE IT. I WILL HAVE TO ASK MY DOCTORS ABOUT THAT.
>> THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU HAVE BEEN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT RUSSIA AND SAUDI ARABIA COMING TOGETHER ON OIL, BUT IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, IT HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK. PRES.
TRUMP: OPEC CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. I'VE BEEN AGAINST OPEC ALL MY LIFE. IT'S AN ILLEGAL -- YOU CAN CALL IT A CARTEL, MONOPOLY, A LOT OF DIFFERENT NAMES. IT BROKE DOWN VERY VIOLENTLY. SO I DON'T CARE ABOUT OPEC. I COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT OPEC. I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO SETTLE IT. THEY ARE GOING TO BE DESTROYED. THEY ARE DESTROYING THEMSELVES IF THEY DON'T. RUSSIA, A VERY IMPORTANT -- WE HAD A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION, PRESIDENT PUTIN AND MYSELF, BUT A BIG PART OF THEIR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING IS FROM OIL. OIL IS AT A RECORD LOW. NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IT IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN YOU EVEN THINK. TO THEIR ADVANTAGE, IT IS SAUDI ARABIA'S ADVANTAGE, THEY TOLD ME THEY ARE DISCUSSING. SAUDI ARABIA WENT FURTHER. HE THINKS THE DEAL WILL BE MADE. 10 MILLION BARREL REDUCTION. MAYBE MORE THAN THAT. HE INDICATED IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE MORE THAN THAT. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. AS FAR AS OPEC IS CONCERNED, I WAS AGAINST OPEC FOR YEARS, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS UNFAIR TO OUR COUNTRY. THE BEAUTIFUL THING IS WE HAVE BUILT ONE OF THE GREAT -- ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE IS CREATED SO MUCH -- WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE PRODUCER IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. I DON'T LIKE IT FOR A DIFFERENT REASON. IT WILL HURT A LOT OF JOBS IN OUR COUNTRY. WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING, PAYING $.90 A GALLON. WHAT IS THAT, 1952? FROM THAT STANDPOINT. I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN OUR GREAT ENERGY BUSINESS. WE WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR ENERGY BUSINESS. IF I HAVE TO DO TARIFFS ON OIL COMING FROM OUTSIDE OR SOMETHING TO PROTECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ENERGY WORKERS IN OUR GREAT COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE THESE JOBS? I WILL DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
>> YOU TWEETED A WHILE AGO ABOUT HOW SAD IT IS FOR KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE LITTLE LEAGUE. I'M WONDERING IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR YOUNGEST SON AND HOW HE'S DEALING WITH LIFE AND SHELTERING IN PLACE, NOT GOING TO SCHOOL. PRES.
TRUMP: HE'S A GOOD ATHLETE AND LOVES SOCCER. HE'S LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. EVERYTHING IS SHUT DOWN. HE'S IN HIS ROOM, HE'S HAPPY, BUT NOT AS HAPPY AS HE COULD BE. THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE PLAYING SPORTS. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE HAVE TO GET BACK. AND WE HAVE TO GET BACK SOON.
>> ON THE JOBS REPORT NUMBER -- PRES.
TRUMP: DO YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING FOR A LITTLE WHILE? DO YOU EVER STOP? HOW MANY TIMES YOU ASK -- IN MANY CASES, IT IS THE SAME. KEEP GOING, YES? YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BLAME ME THAT I KEPT IT GOING TOO LONG? IT IS AMAZING. I THINK EVERY SINGLE HAND WENT UP THE LAST TIME. YOU KNOW WHAT IT SHOWS YOU, IT SHOWS THAT YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO. SOME OF YOU DO IT WELL. NOT ALL OF YOU. I'M NOT LOOKING AT YOU, BY THE WAY.
>> THE JOBS REPORT NUMBERS YESTERDAY, THE FIRST HALF OF MARCH, WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT SHOWED ANY SIGN OF OPTIMISM? WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE SAID "MAYBE WITH THIS VIRUS, WE WILL SEE UPWARDS GAINS?" PRES.
TRUMP: THE JOBS NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE. WE ASKED EVERYBODY TO GO HOME, DON'T WORK. THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE ASTRONOMICAL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. SOMEBODY SAID THE NUMBERS ARE MEANINGLESS, THEN THEY TOOK THAT TO MEAN JOBS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING. IT WAS ANOTHER FAKE NEWS STORY. THEY MEANT IT BY SAYING IT REALLY IS THE NUMBER -- THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE. WE KNEW THE NUMBERS WERE GOING TO BE MASSIVE. WE TOLD EVERYBODY TO GO HOME AND LOCK YOUR DOORS. DON'T COME TO WORK, DON'T GO OUTSIDE, DON'T BREATHE, DON'T DO ANYTHING. WE HAVE TO OPEN UP OUR COUNTRY. I KNOW IT IS COMING BACK. IN MY OPINION, IT WILL COME BACK VERY STRONG. THERE'S TREMENDOUS ENERGY, TREMENDOUS DEMAND. SOME GOOD THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. THERE'S ONE HABIT THAT A LOT OF YOU COVERED ME A LONG TIME, I WAS NEVER A BIG BELIEVER IN SHAKING HANDS. I DECIDED IF YOU DON'T SHAKE HANDS, HE WON'T BE WINNING A LOT OF CONTESTS. I'M NOT SURE YOU HAVE TO SHAKE HANDS ANYMORE. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT IF WE DIDN'T SHAKE HANDS, THE INCIDENCE OF FLUE, FLU IS -- FLU, FLU IS A BIG DEAL ALSO. WHO KNEW THAT SHAKING HANDS WAS SUCH A BAD THING. I FELT IT. I ALWAYS FELT IT. I WAS NEVER TO A POINT WHERE I CAN'T TAKE SOMEBODY'S HEAD. I KNEW PEOPLE LIKE THAT. THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY OF THEM. WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M SHAKING HUNDREDS OF HANDS. I THINK THAT'S A CUSTOM THAT MAY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO GET CLOSE TOGETHER, WE HAVE TO SIT TOGETHER IN STADIUMS, ALL OF THAT STUFF IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I THINK THE CONCEPT OF SHAKING HANDS IS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT FROM THE PAST. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. MAYBE THEY WILL GO RIGHT BACK TO SHAKING HANDS.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SEE PEOPLE CLAPPING WHEN NURSES LEAVE, -- PRES.
TRUMP: WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THAT. I HAVE SEEN SUCH SUPPORT. I SAW THIS MORNING, THEY WERE CLAPPING FOR THE FIRED APARTMENT, POLICEMAN. THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE WARRIORS. THEY WERE GOING INTO ELMHURST HOSPITAL, WHICH HAS BEEN TRAGIC. RIGHT NEAR WHERE I GREW UP IN QUEENS. THE PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS THEY ARE THE ROCK STARS, THEY ARE WARRIORS. NURSES, DOCTORS, FIRST RESPONDERS, WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. EVEN IF THEY HAVE GREAT EQUIPMENT, THEY ARE CATCHING IT. THEY HAVE GOOD EQUIPMENT, THEY CATCH IT. WITH GOOD, WITH BAD. IT IS EVIL. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. DR.
FAUCI: I'M GLAD YOU PUT THAT QUESTION. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE CAN REALLY FULLY APPRECIATE THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT OF THESE PEOPLE. IT IS AMAZING. I DID ALL OF MY MEDICAL TRAINING IN NEW YORK CITY IN A BIG, BUSY NEW YORK CITY HOSPITAL AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS WHAT YOU NORMALLY SEE IN A HOSPITAL. I CAME TO NIH AND SPENT ABOUT FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS IN THE VERY EARLY YEARS OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, WHICH WAS JUST THE DARKEST YEARS OF MY LIFE. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY PATIENTS DIED. AS WE KNEW, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL HE, THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE RISK, IT WAS A SMALL RISK, BUT VERY LITTLE RISK OF GETTING INFECTED FROM THE PATIENT. TO SEE NOW WITH THESE BRAVE WARRIORS, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE HOSPITALS, NOT ONLY GIVING LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT TO PEOPLE, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY. I JUST THINK THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC OWES A PHENOMENAL DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR THESE PEOPLE. AND THEY SHOULD SALUTE THEM EVERY WAY THEY CAN. WHEN WE WERE AT WAR, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, WHEN YOU ARE AT AN AIRPORT AND SEE SOMEBODY WITH A UNIFORM COME BY, EVERYBODY COLLAPSE. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO WHEN WE SEE HEALTH CARE WORKERS. PRES.
TRUMP: MIKE, PLEASE. DR.
HAHN: THE STORIES ARE INCREDIBLY MOVING ABOUT WHAT HEALTH-CARE WORKERS ARE DOING EVERY DAY. IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY ARE GOING BACK INTO THE HOSPITAL, PLACES LIKE NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. EARLIER THAN THAT. IN WASHINGTON STATE AND CALIFORNIA WHEN THIS FIRST BEGAN. IT'S NOT JUST THEY ARE PROVIDING CARE TO PEOPLE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF HOW CONTAGIOUS THE CORONAVIRUS IS, THEY ARE ALSO SUPPLEMENTING FOR FAMILY. THAT'S WHAT GETS TO ME. WHEN I HEAR THE STORIES THAT UNDERSTANDABLY IN NURSING HOMES AND HOSPITALS, THEY ARE RESTRICTING VISITORS. AND THEY SHOULD, TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE HOSPITAL OR OUT. TO HEAR THE STORIES OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE HOLDING UP AN IPHONE WHILE SOMEONE WHO IS CRITICALLY ILL WITH THE CORONAVIRUS MAY WELL BE SAYING THEIR LAST GOODBYES TO THEIR FAMILY. TO BE THERE IN THOSE MOMENTS. OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE NOT JUST DOCTORS AND NURSES TODAY, THEY ARE SUPPLEMENTING FOR FAMILY, FOR PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I JUST THINK -- TOMORROW IS PALM SUNDAY. IT IS HOLY WEEK. I HAVE PEOPLE ASK ME FROM TIME TO TIME, SEND ME AN EMAIL, OR THE MANY CONGRESS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T -- CONFERENCE CALLS WE HAVE, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO PRAY ABOUT? THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND THE PATIENTS STRUGGLING WITH CORONAVIRUS. DURING THIS VERY SPECIAL WEEK, I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR OUR HEALTH CARE WORKERS. PRAY FOR THEM, THEIR FAMILIES. THEY ARE REALLY THE HANDS AND FEET EVERY DAY. NOT JUST OF HEALTH CARE, BUT THE HEART OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THEM EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY.
PRES. TRUMP: AND THINK ABOUT THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WORK. THROWING UP A HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK CITY, 2500 BEDS IN THREE DAYS. THINK OF THAT. AND FEMA. THE NATIONAL GUARD IS NOW DELIVERING FOR THE STATES. THE STATES WERE UNABLE TO GET, WE WOULD DROP IT AT A BIG WAREHOUSE WE WERE TOLD TO DROP, AND THE STATES WERE UNABLE TO BRING IT FROM THE WAREHOUSE TO THE SITE. SO WE GOT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO BECOME A DELIVERY SERVICE, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT. SOME OF THOSE SITES WERE DANGEROUS SITES. THINK OF THAT. IT HAS BEEN AMAZING. I JUST THINK -- I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. I'M SO PROUD OF THIS COUNTRY. IT IS A WORLD PROBLEM. SOME COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD ARE JUST HANDLING IT SO WELL. 151, TWO OR THREE DAYS AGO, PROBABLY MORE. SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY -- THEY WERE THAT MANY COUNTRIES, THAT IS HOW BIG IT IS. IT IS SUNDAY TOMORROW, PALM SUNDAY. THINK OF IT, WE ARE NOT GOING TO CHURCHES ON PALM SUNDAY. NEXT SUNDAY, EASTER. I BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE SPECIAL FOR CHURCHES. MAYBE WE CAN ALLOW IT, WITH GREAT SEPARATION OUTSIDE ON EASTER SUNDAY. I DON'T KNOW. IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT. BUT SOMEBODY DID SAY, THEN YOU ARE SORT OF OPENING IT UP TO THAT. DO WE WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE ON DOING THAT, WHEN WE HAVE BEEN DOING SO WELL? BUT EASTER SUNDAY, PALM SUNDAY. I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING TOMORROW, LIVE FROM RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. GREAT CHURCH. BUT I WILL BE WATCHING ON A COMPUTER, RIGHT? A LAPTOP. I THINK ON EASTER, I WILL BE WATCHING FROM A LAPTOP, AS OPPOSED -- SO, HOW SAD IS IT WE HAVE EASTER, PALM AND EASTER SUNDAY AND PEOPLE ARE WATCHING ON LAPTOPS AND COMPUTERS? IT'S SAD. BUT THE JOB THIS WHOLE COUNTRY HAS DONE IS AMAZING. I'LL SAY THIS. OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. THEY WALK INTO THOSE HOSPITALS. YOU SEE THEM PUTTING ON THEIR GEAR, PUTTING IT ON AS THEY ARE WALKING THROUGH THE FRONT DOORS, AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE. THEY ARE GOING TO DIE. YOU KNOW? IT'S INCREDIBLE. WE CAN SAY WHAT WE WANT, TONY AND DEB, ABOUT YOUNG AND MEDIUM-AGED. THERE ARE PLENTY OF THOSE PEOPLE DYING, TOO, YOU KNWOW? GENERALLY IT IS THE OLDER PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS. IT HITS YOUNGER PEOPLE, MIDDLE-AGED PEOPLE, TOO. BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE WALKING INTO HOSPITALS. IT IS INCREDIBLE. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR OUTFIT, GETTING IT, GOING IN. IT'S LIKE A WAR. AGAIN, THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYTHING SO CONTAGIOUS AS THIS. IN 1917, IT WAS VICIOUS IF YOU GOT IT, BUT IT WASN'T CONTAGIOUS LIKE THIS. NOW, IN 1917 HAD THEY HAD THE INTERNET AND ALL THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, THEY COULD HAVE PRACTICED DISTANCING. BY THE TIME PEOPLE STARTED THINKING IN THOSE TERMS, THEY HAD LOST I GUESS 75 MILLION TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE. SO THAT'S MODERN, YOU KNOW, MODERN-DAY, GREAT THING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE?
REPORTER: TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN USE ANTIBODY TESTS TO DETERMINE WHO CAN GO BACK TO WORK? PRES.
TRUMP: I DON'T KNOW. I'D RATHER LEAVE THAT TO THE DOCTOR. DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT? DR.
FAUCI: WE THINK IT WILL BE A TOOL TO HELP US GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK. IT WILL BE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE AN ANTIBODY IT MEANS YOU WERE EXPOSED AND CAN RECOVER FOR IT. THAT IS INFORMATION THAT SHOULD HELP.
REPORTER: HOW CAN YOU SCALE UP THIS TESTING TO DETERMINE ON A LARGE-SCALE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN GO BACK TO WORK?
>> AS YOU KNOW, A FEW WEEKS AGO WE PROVIDED A GREAT DEAL OF REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY AROUND THIS. A LOT OF GREAT DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS. I CALL OUT THE -- WEEP THEY CALL OUT TO ACADEMIC LABS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DO THIS, AND HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH MANUFACTURERS, SO WE THINK IT CAN BE SCALED UP RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
REPORTER: MR. PRESIDENT, A QUESTION FOR DR.
FAUCI:. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, YOU HAD SAID YOU KNEW THE 15-DAY GUIDANCE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH. I WANTED TO ASK YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL ABOUT THE 30-DAY GUIDANCE AND WHETHER IT WOULD BE ENOUGH?
DR. FAUCI: YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO TALK ABOUT LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING I FEEL STRONGLY. THAT IF WE DO IN A VERY PROACTIVE WAY WHAT I SAID IN MY OPENING COMMENTS, AND PEOPLE LITERALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS A BASELINE HAVE THAT PHYSICAL SEPARATION, AND AS WE MENTIONED UP HERE, THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES OF THAT ON WHETHER YOU ARE IN NEW YORK CITY OR -- EVERY PLACE, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE DOING SOME DEGREE OF THIS PHYSICAL SEPARATION. IF WE DO THAT, I HAVE CONFIDENCE WHAT WE WILL SEE IS THE TURNING AROUND OF THE CURVE. WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE ALL THE WAY DOWN WHERE WE WANT, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY. I WOULD BE FOOLISH TO SAY THAT. BUT THE ONE THING I AM CONFIDENT IN, LET'S TAKE THIS TO THE BANK, THAT MITIGATION WORKS. IT DOES. WE HAVE SEEN IT IN OTHER COUNTRIES. WE HAVE SEEN IT IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. THAT'S THE REASON I KEEP COMING UP AT EVERY CHANCE I GET TO PLEA WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE GUIDELINES THE VICE PRESIDENT KEEPS PUTTING OUT ON THIS CHART. BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE POINTS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH PHYSICAL SEPARATION. PRES.
TRUMP: AND MITIGATION DOES WORK. BUT AGAIN, WE AREN'T GOING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE TO GET BACK. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU -- WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS CAUSED THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS VERY SUCCESSFUL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE A BIG DECISION TO MAKE IT AT A CERTAIN POINT. WE WANT THIS EXTRA PERIOD OF TIME, BUT I SAID IT FROM THE BEGINNING, THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF, AND WE CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE COUNTRY. WE WERE HAVING THE GREATEST PERIOD IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT AND MANY OTHER WAYS. WE CANNOT LET THIS CONTINUE, SO AT A CERTAIN POINT, SOME HARD DECISIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE. GO AHEAD.
REPORTER: MR. PRESIDENT, MANUFACTURERS ARE TRIPLING, QUADRUPLING PRODUCTION OF PPE. PRES.
TRUMP: THAT'S TRUE.
REPORTER: AND YET MEDICAL EXPERTS AND MANUFACTURERS PREDICT THERE WILL STILL BE SHORTAGES OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VENTILATORS. IS IT TIME FOR YOU TO LEVEL WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THAT THERE LIKELY WILL BE SHORTAGES OF VENTILATORS IN SOME CASES?
PRES. TRUMP: COULD BE. COULD BE YOU HAVE SHORTAGES, AND COULD BE YOU ALSO HAVE SOME THAT WAY OVERESTIMATED THE NUMBER OF VENTILATORS THEY NEED. WE THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEA A GOOD AMOUNT READY TO MOVE. LITERALLY LIKE AN ARMY. THEY ARE READY TO MOVE TO ANY HOTSPOT. BUT SOME OF THE ONES YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, ALWAYS A NASTY QUESTION FROM CNN, AH, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION ABOUT 10 TIMES ALREADY. LOOK, WE'RE MOBILIZED AND READY TO GO. WE HAVE A LOT OF VENTILATORS READY TO GO, AND IF YOUWE HAD GIVEN THEM ALL OUT, YOU WOULD BE OVERSTOCKED IN MANY AREAS. WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD PLAN TO TAKE FROM SOME AREAS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ALMOST 10,000, WE ARE ALSO TAKING FROM AREAS THAT WILL NOT BE AS BADLY HIT AS TODAY WE THINK THEY WILL BE. THERE WILL BE SOME AREAS HIT HARDER THAN WE THINK, AND THERE'S NOTHING DEBORAH, TONY OR ANY OF THESE PROFESSIONALS CAN DO ABOUT IT. THIS THING MOVES IN A LOT OF WAYS. BUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, AND LOOK AT US COMPARED TO A LOT OF COUNTRIES, WE ARE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE. BUT THESE PROFESSIONALS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. NOW, OVER THE NEXT WEEK AND TWO WEEKS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY DEADLY PERIOD, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT SO WE LOSE AS FEW LIVES AS POSSIBLE, AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I THINK WE ALREADY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT REGARD. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT GRAPH AND YOU SEE ALL THE BUMPS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT, AT A VERY LOW LEVEL. AND YOU SEE A COUPLE AT A HIGHER LEVEL. THEY WERE TOUGH. BUT YOU SEE ALL THOSE LEVELS. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AND HEAR ABOUT ITALY, FRANCE, WHAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE MANY ITALYS ALL OVER. THEY ARE LIKE COUNTRIES. CALIFORNIA IS A COUNTRY. NEW YORK IS A COUNTRY, IF YOU LOOK AT THEM FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE MANY, LIKE, COUNTRY SPOTS. SOME ARE HOTSPOTS, AND THERE'S NOTHING WE ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. ONE OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES IS LOUISIANA, BECAUSE IT STARTED OFF SO GOOD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SHOT UP LIKE A ROCKET, BUT WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO HAVE VENTILATORS WHEREVER WE POSSIBLY CAN. JEFF, GO AHEAD.
REPORTER: WHAT ABOUT THE EFFORTS OF THESE COMPANIES TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION AS FAST AS POSSIBLE? . IT STILL WON'T BE ENOUGH.
PRES. TRUMP: NEW YORK WANTED 40,000 VENTILATORS. IT IS LIKE CARS. IT IS A BIG PROJECT. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PRODUCT. SOME OF THEM ARE $50,000 APIECE. I SAW ONE THE OTHER DAY, $55,000 AND THAT WAS BEFORE THEY STARTED PLAYING THE GAMES WITH SUPPLY AND DEMAND, OK? SOME ARE VERY, YOU WOULD CALL THEM LUXURY. SOME ARE NOT. BUT FRANKLY, THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS, HIGH TECH PROJECTS AND PRODUCTS, AND THEY TAKE A PERIOD OF TIME. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF THEM BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW. SOME WILL BE READY, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE EXTRA, AND WE WILL KEEP THEM AT HOSPITALS. BUT A LOT OF HOSPITALS, STATES, HAD A CHANCE OF GETTING VENTILATORS AND THEY TURNED THOSE VENTILATORS DOWN SO THEY COULD SPEND THEIR MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE. IN A WAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BECAUSE WHO THINKS A THING LIKE THIS? IT IS NOT ENOUGH. IF I AM TOLD, PERHAPS NEW YORK, YOU CAN SPEND $1 BILLION ON VENTILATORS AND GET 16,000 OF THEM OR A MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENTILATORS, OR YOU CAN BUILD A NEW BRIDGE OR ROAD OR SOMETHING, I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS. I AM NOT BLAMING ANYBODY. JUST SAYING, A LOT OF THE STATES HAD CHANCES OF STOCKPILING A LOT OF VENTILATORS. THEY DIDN'T DO IT, AND I THINK WE ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB HELPING THEM OUT. PLEASE. I UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION VERY WELL.
REPORTER: ON WHAT YOU AND THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN SAYING TODAY ABOUT IT BEING A DEADLY WEEK OR COMING -- CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE, PERHAPS, DR.
BIRX:,, OF WHAT THAT MEANS NUMERICALLY?
PRES. TRUMP: I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY, WE KNOW PRETTY MUCH THE LINE OF ATTACK. WE KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE THE NUMBERS. THEY SEEM TO BE CHECKING OUT, UNFORTUNATELY. IN SOME CASES THEY ARE ON THE LOW SIDE, WHICH WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH. WE WILL KEEP THEM ON THE VERY LOW SIDE. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED. BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK MAYBE YOU AND TONY, WHERE IS THE WEEK OR NUMBER OF DAYS OF GREATEST ATTACK? WHAT WILL BE OUR WORST DAY, IF THAT IS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, RIGHT? DR.
BIRX: AS YOU CAN LOOK IN THE PLACES THAT ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT-HIT RIGHT NOW, THE DETROIT