Trump to governors: Try getting respirators for coronavirus patients yourselves

Governors across the United States are scrambling to make sure their health care systems have enough respirators to help people diagnosed with the coronavirus, but President Trump surprised them Monday by telling them not wait for the federal government, The New York Times reports.

"Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves," Trump reportedly told the governors during a conference call.

He did say the federal government "will be backing" the states, but, for now, they should try to resolve the issue on their own. "Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself," he said.

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Beyond that, Trump reportedly stayed on course by sounding optimistic amid the pandemic, promising the governors "we're going to get it remedied and hopefully very quickly." Trump has invoked some strict travel measures since the outbreak began, but his critics have argued he's been slow to grasp the severity of the situation, leaving the most intense measures to the states. Read more at The New York Times.