Trump Says COVID-19 Supply Is Under Control, He Doesn't Need A Czar
President Donald Trump is rejecting calls to put a single military commander in charge of medical supplies for the COVID-19 pandemic.
He says that his administration has the supply situation under control and that appointing a new “czar” makes no sense when he’s already got several military commanders working on the federal response.
But the calls for a czar, a single authority, are coming from a lot of people, including Democratic elected officials and advocates for frontline medical workers. They say the supply situation remains a crisis, especially when it comes to the widespread shortages of protective gear.
And although critics have high regard for the military commanders working with Trump, they say the multitude of advisers (including civilians) and their overlapping portfolios mean no single person has control over both the production and distribution of critical equipment.
One Democratic official, Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has become so frustrated with the lack of response that on Monday he proposed three possible czars, all military commanders with experience in logistics.
“This is a massive undertaking, and the country needs an undisputed person who is organizing all facets of it ― someone with experience, someone with strength, someone who will have the full authority of the president behind them,” Schumer said during a call with reporters on Monday. “The best place to find somebody like this is in the military.”
But at the now-daily White House coronavirus briefing, Trump dismissed Schumer’s suggestion as a political stunt.
“When Schumer makes a statement like that, he’s only doing it for politics,” Trump said. “We have the best generals, the best admirals, we have the best people. These are incredible leaders.”
Why The Mask Shortage Is So Dangerous
The idea of appointing a czar to oversee medical supply chain issues has been kicking around for weeks. But it’s gained new urgency in the...
