- The disaster declaration will provide federal assistance for both emergency protective measures and crisis counseling in Washington, the White House said
- Trump told reporters Sunday: ‘The federal government will be funding 100% of the cost of deploying national guard units to carry out approved missions’Â
- He also ordered mobile hospital centers be sent to the three badly hit statesÂ
- Washington gov. Jay Inslee said the federal declaration was appreciated but added it was a ‘first step’ that doesn’t go far enough
- California gov Gavin Newson earlier wrote to Trump asking for help
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the federal government ‘should order factories to manufacture masks, gowns, and ventilators’
Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to send in the national guard into Washington, California and New York, as the hardest hit states were declared disaster zones.
The disaster declaration will provide federal assistance for both emergency protective measures and crisis counseling in Washington, the White House said.
Trump said Sunday:Â ‘And through (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the federal government will be funding 100 per cent of the cost of deploying national guard units to carry out approved missions to stop the virus while those governors remain in command.
‘We’ll be following them and we hope they can do the job and I think they will. I spoke with all three of the governors today, just a little while ago and they’re very happy with what we’re going to be doing.’
Trump also said Sunday he’d ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ship mobile hospital centers to the hard-hit states of Washington, California and New York amid the coronavirus pandemic.
New York became the hardest hit state with close to 17,000 confirmed cases and 153 deaths Sunday evening; Washington has more than 1,700 confirmed cases; California more than 1,700.
The president said FEMA will also provide thousands of hospital beds to New York, Califnoria and Washington plus dozens of medical stations which will be with the states in 48 hours.
Two naval hospitals – one the east and west coast – will also be used.
Trump said Sunday: ‘I’m a wartime president. This is a war â a different kind of war than we’ve ever had.’
He added: ‘We’re sort of a backup for states.’
Washington gov. Jay Inslee said the federal declaration was appreciated but added it was a ‘first step’ that doesn’t go far enough. Health officials there reported at least 95 coronavirus deaths in Washington state and nearly 2,000 confirmed cases Sunday.
In a statement Inslee said ‘today’s declaration does not unlock many forms of federal assistance we have requested to help workers and families who are badly hurting.
‘We will continue working with our federal partners to deliver the full suite of disaster assistance that is sorely needed in our state, such as expanded unemployment benefits for workers who lose their paychecks as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.’
