- President Donald Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he doesn't think places need 30,000 additional ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state needs 30,000 ventilators to address the influx of patients.
- The state has more than 39,000 cases, and more than 450 people have died from COVID-19 in New York.
- Hospitals all across the country are requesting more equipment to handle the influx of COVID-19 cases.
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President Donald Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he doesn't think areas need 30,000 to 40,000 ventilators to treat patients with COVID-19.
"New York is a bigger deal, but it's going to go, also. But I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they are going to be. I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said in an interview with Hannity on Thursday.
The quote makes it unclear if Trump is referring to New York state specifically. Though some journalists like News Hour's Yamiche Alcindor believed it referred to New York tweeting, "Pres Trump is saying @NYGovCuomo is off base to say NY state needs 30,000 ventilators."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state needs 30,000 ventilators to address the influx of patients. The state has more than 39,000 cases, and more than 450 people have died from COVID-19.
Trump also said governors shouldn't rely on the federal government to address their outbreak.
"A lot of equipment is being asked for that I don't think they will need," Trump said.
Earlier this week Trump suggested he would give federal aid to address the coronavirus outbreak to states that "treat us well."
During the Fox News interview, the president was critical of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Trump held a teleconference with governors on Thursday, ABC News reported. While Trump claimed the federal government was handling the outbreak at a "level that people find pretty impressive," Inslee stated that every state still needed more supplies.
"The point I want to make is I don't want you to be the back-up quarterback, we need you to be Tom Brady here," Inslee told Trump according to ABC.
In response, Trump said he inherited an outdated "broken system."
Washington has been one of the most affected states by the coronavirus outbreak. To Hannity, Trump said Inslee was "a failed presidential candidate" who is "always complaining." The president added that Inslee should do more to address the coronavirus outbreak in his state himself.
Washington has more than 3,000 infections and 150 deaths.
Trump also referred to Whitmer as "the young, a woman governor, you know who I'm talking about, from Michigan" and said she did not understand what was going on and "complains."
Michigan has over 2,800 COVID-19 cases and at least 60 deaths.
Healthcare workers in hospitals across the country have asked for more personal protective gear and life-saving equipment like ventilators to treat the growing number of COVID-19 cases.
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"I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators"
- President Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/g7XLVYNyVp
- Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 27, 2020