WASHINGTON: Putting their differences aside for at least one afternoon, President Donald Trump and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo agreed at an Oval Office meeting to work to duplicate coronavirus testing in the worst-affected state in the coming years. weeks.
"We will work together to help them obtain additional evidence," Trump said after Tuesday's meeting. "And we hope that this model will also work with the other states."
Speaking of the cold and ardent relationship between the two politicians, Cuomo said of their meeting: “ It ends the entire exchange of ideas in a very fair and intelligent way.
The meeting marked a sharp change in rhetoric just a few days earlier, when Trump had asked Cuomo to work harder to secure the evidence for his state and the Democratic governor had rejected that the Republican president should turn off his television and return to work. .
Cuomo, who described the meeting as “ effective and functional & # 39; & # 39 ;, said he told Trump that a rapid increase in testing was a “ benchmark & # 39; & # 39; crucial that their state and others need before they can safely reopen their economies and help communities return to an appearance of normality.
Trump and Cuomo have been detained through the media during the pandemic, a routine that has included insults, strongly contrasting views on the role of the federal government, and some moments of mutual admiration.
Tuesday's meeting was their first face-to-face interaction since the global crisis began. New York, with more than 14,000 deaths, has been the most affected state in the country.
Before their meeting, Cuomo told reporters that Trump was correct in saying that “ states should take the lead & # 39; & # 39; in testing, but that the federal government needs to manage the flow of supplies from abroad while governors are “ trying to put together their testing protocols in their state. ''
“ I think, in many ways, we are talking side by side & # 39; & # 39 ;, Cuomo said.
Despite the well-documented shortage of test supplies, aides to Trump and the White House have insisted that states have enough evidence capacity to move forward in the first phase of efforts to reopen their economies.
However, for all the drama in the past, Trump said Tuesday that New York officials “ had been fabulous to work & # 39; & # 39 ;. He added that he and Cuomo agreed that the 1,000-bed US Naval Hospital ship that had been dispatched to relieve stress in city hospitals was no longer needed in New York.
“ We have a very good understanding & # 39; & # 39 ;, said Trump.
Cuomo suggested that resentments be put aside.
“ The president communicates his feelings, and I communicate what I think & # 39; & # 39;, Cuomo told MSNBC shortly after his meeting with Trump. “ But, look, I think for the President and for me, this is not about anyone's emotions about anyone else. I mean, who cares, right, what I feel, what he feels. We have tremendous work that we have to do. & # 39; & # 39;
Through daily briefings and dozens of media appearances, Cuomo has emerged in many ways as the Democratic face of the pandemic response. With the party's likely presidential candidate Joe Biden, largely marginalized at his Delaware home, Cuomo has become one of several governors who have become the center of attention as the pandemic has forced a rearrangement of the American life.
As Cuomo conducts briefings from New York, he has vacillated between being Trump's foil and his unlikely ally. The two Queens natives, who grew up a few neighborhoods away, have exchanged comments on Twitter but also consulted on late-night phone calls.
When asked if he had had to walk a “ fine line & # 39; & # 39; In dealing with the President, Cuomo said: “ Life is a fine line & # 39; & # 39 ;.
“ He has no problem telling me when he disagrees & # 39; & # 39;, Cuomo told reporters on Tuesday before leaving for Washington. “ And he tells me when he agrees. I have no problem telling you when I disagree and when I agree & # 39; & # 39 ;.
Cuomo, according to his aides, has deliberately used both the carrot and the stick to deal with a president who is extremely sensitive to his image in the media and how the governors respond to him.
At times, he has thanked Trump, which has resulted in video clips that the President has enthusiastically shown in the White House meeting room in recent days.
But at other times, Cuomo has not hesitated to attack the president, even during a recent monologue in which he urged Trump to stop watching television and “ return to work & # 39; & # 39; safeguarding American lives during the pandemic.
Trump often captures at least some of Cuomo's daily briefings and has expressed annoyance to the positive press aides the governor received, according to aides. He has delighted in the praise he has received from Cuomo and other Democratic governors.
Cuomo and other governors are also pressing for $ 500 billion in unrestricted aid from the federal government for states to make up for the shortage of income resulting from the outbreak.
The Senate on Tuesday approved a nearly $ 500 billion coronavirus aid package for small businesses, which includes additional aid for hospitals and virus testing. Cuomo said he was disappointed that it did not include direct aid to the states, but that Trump seemed “ very open and understanding & # 39; & # 39; on the need to include more aid for states in the next round of assistance.
"We will work together to help them obtain additional evidence," Trump said after Tuesday's meeting. "And we hope that this model will also work with the other states."
Speaking of the cold and ardent relationship between the two politicians, Cuomo said of their meeting: “ It ends the entire exchange of ideas in a very fair and intelligent way.
The meeting marked a sharp change in rhetoric just a few days earlier, when Trump had asked Cuomo to work harder to secure the evidence for his state and the Democratic governor had rejected that the Republican president should turn off his television and return to work. .
Cuomo, who described the meeting as “ effective and functional & # 39; & # 39 ;, said he told Trump that a rapid increase in testing was a “ benchmark & # 39; & # 39; crucial that their state and others need before they can safely reopen their economies and help communities return to an appearance of normality.
Trump and Cuomo have been detained through the media during the pandemic, a routine that has included insults, strongly contrasting views on the role of the federal government, and some moments of mutual admiration.
Tuesday's meeting was their first face-to-face interaction since the global crisis began. New York, with more than 14,000 deaths, has been the most affected state in the country.
Before their meeting, Cuomo told reporters that Trump was correct in saying that “ states should take the lead & # 39; & # 39; in testing, but that the federal government needs to manage the flow of supplies from abroad while governors are “ trying to put together their testing protocols in their state. ''
“ I think, in many ways, we are talking side by side & # 39; & # 39 ;, Cuomo said.
Despite the well-documented shortage of test supplies, aides to Trump and the White House have insisted that states have enough evidence capacity to move forward in the first phase of efforts to reopen their economies.
However, for all the drama in the past, Trump said Tuesday that New York officials “ had been fabulous to work & # 39; & # 39 ;. He added that he and Cuomo agreed that the 1,000-bed US Naval Hospital ship that had been dispatched to relieve stress in city hospitals was no longer needed in New York.
“ We have a very good understanding & # 39; & # 39 ;, said Trump.
Cuomo suggested that resentments be put aside.
“ The president communicates his feelings, and I communicate what I think & # 39; & # 39;, Cuomo told MSNBC shortly after his meeting with Trump. “ But, look, I think for the President and for me, this is not about anyone's emotions about anyone else. I mean, who cares, right, what I feel, what he feels. We have tremendous work that we have to do. & # 39; & # 39;
Through daily briefings and dozens of media appearances, Cuomo has emerged in many ways as the Democratic face of the pandemic response. With the party's likely presidential candidate Joe Biden, largely marginalized at his Delaware home, Cuomo has become one of several governors who have become the center of attention as the pandemic has forced a rearrangement of the American life.
As Cuomo conducts briefings from New York, he has vacillated between being Trump's foil and his unlikely ally. The two Queens natives, who grew up a few neighborhoods away, have exchanged comments on Twitter but also consulted on late-night phone calls.
When asked if he had had to walk a “ fine line & # 39; & # 39; In dealing with the President, Cuomo said: “ Life is a fine line & # 39; & # 39 ;.
“ He has no problem telling me when he disagrees & # 39; & # 39;, Cuomo told reporters on Tuesday before leaving for Washington. “ And he tells me when he agrees. I have no problem telling you when I disagree and when I agree & # 39; & # 39 ;.
Cuomo, according to his aides, has deliberately used both the carrot and the stick to deal with a president who is extremely sensitive to his image in the media and how the governors respond to him.
At times, he has thanked Trump, which has resulted in video clips that the President has enthusiastically shown in the White House meeting room in recent days.
But at other times, Cuomo has not hesitated to attack the president, even during a recent monologue in which he urged Trump to stop watching television and “ return to work & # 39; & # 39; safeguarding American lives during the pandemic.
Trump often captures at least some of Cuomo's daily briefings and has expressed annoyance to the positive press aides the governor received, according to aides. He has delighted in the praise he has received from Cuomo and other Democratic governors.
Cuomo and other governors are also pressing for $ 500 billion in unrestricted aid from the federal government for states to make up for the shortage of income resulting from the outbreak.
The Senate on Tuesday approved a nearly $ 500 billion coronavirus aid package for small businesses, which includes additional aid for hospitals and virus testing. Cuomo said he was disappointed that it did not include direct aid to the states, but that Trump seemed “ very open and understanding & # 39; & # 39; on the need to include more aid for states in the next round of assistance.
.