Boldly Committed to Truth Telling in the False Face of Fakery
Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing
Press Release:
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everybody. I'd like to begin by saying that we just completed a meeting with the Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on proposals regarding the airlines and the airline business.
And we're working very closely with a lot of different people. We'll be probably putting out a proposal and giving them some of the details - some of the very powerful details over the weekend. It's moving along quickly. The airline business has been hit very hard, as everybody knows. And we are going to be in a position to do a lot to help them so that they keep their employees and they save their businesses.
And that'll be taking place, I think you can say, over the weekend. We may even have discussions with some of the airlines or all of the airlines over the weekend. And I think it's going to be a very acceptable package. It's a very big package and a very acceptable package. It'll be good for our country, good for the airlines, good for a lot of people.
Likewise, I just spoke with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman, and we had a big talk as to oil production and OPEC and making it so that our industry does well and the oil industry does better than it's doing right now. It's - the numbers are so low that there'll be layoffs all over the world. There'll be certainly layoffs in this country. And we don't want that to happen.
We built a great, great energy business in the United States. So we have tens of thousands of jobs. We had a very good talk; we'll see what happens. But as you know, OPEC met today, and I would say they're getting close to a deal. We'll soon find out. So that was a conversation we just had, so we had a busy hour and a half.
And let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the American people. Millions of Americans are making profound and difficult sacrifices in their own lives because they know it will save the lives of countless others. And that's exactly what it's doing. You see what's happening and where we are and where we stand. And hopefully we're going to be opening up - you can call it "opening" very, very - very, very soon, I hope.
Together, our people are writing one of the most noble chapters in the proud history of our nation. Americans are also encouraged to learn that Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, has been moved out of intensive care. That's a tremendous statement. And we continue to pray for him and his fast recovery. That's a very - a very positive development.
As the New York metropolitan area continues its battle against the outbreak, the full power of the federal government is there to support them. As you know, the Javits Center has now been fully converted into a 3,000-bed hospital - one of the
largest anywhere in the country - and by the incredible professionals.
I have to say, the Corps of Engineers, what they can do is just incredible. They've done a fantastic job and they're building, nationwide, 21 temporary hospitals and care facilities, adding 17,000 hospital beds. And they did that all within a very short period of time. It's incredible what they've done. Army Corps of Engineers. And FEMA has been fantastic.
Our sweeping airlift operation to keep doctors and nurses supplied with protective equipment, Project Airbridge, continues to expand with more than 24 flights already completed and 49 additional flights now scheduled in the near future. So that's been very successful. And that gear and those outfits are being handed out. As they arrive, they're going directly to point.
The American medical system continues to perform beyond our highest expectations, reminding us that the United States is blessed with the most advanced healthcare and the most skilled healthcare workers anywhere in the planet. Other countries are looking to what we're doing. And our testing operation has now become far and away the most sophisticated and the best anywhere.
And we want to thank all of the heroes on the frontlines as they fight to save American lives. We're at the top of the hill. Pretty sure we're at the top of the hill, and now we're going downward. In some cases, we've already started that process.
Earlier today, I spoke with hundreds of mental health leaders and advocates from around the country to discuss the vital work and the vital work they're doing. We had the top doctors in the country, some international doctors. Mental health - big factor. Not only has the virus inflicted immense physical suffering on many people, but also mental and emotional suffering as well. Even though we're staying physically apart, no American is alone, and we're all in this together. But the mental health doctors and experts - it was a very great call. It was a very interesting call. They're working very hard.
We're also seeing encouraging signs in our race to develop breakthrough treatments and therapies. Pfizer revealed today that it has found a promising new treatment that might prevent the virus from replicating. And that hopes - it hopes to begin testing in clinical trials very soon. It's going to be very, very soon. They have great - great feelings for this particular therapy, and they think that a lot of good things are happening.
Through the FDA's Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, 19 therapies and treatments are now being tested and 26 more are in the active planning or [for] clinical trial. So we have 19 therapies being tested currently, and 26 more are in the active planning for clinical trials. That's a big statement. That's a lot.
Trials for Gilead's antiviral drug, remdesivir, continue. And the company has also expanded emergency use for new patients getting good, early results, by the way. The companies that manufacture hydroxychloroquine are massively ramping up production.
As you know, many people are recommending, strongly, Z-Pak be added - the Z-Pak - and also zinc. And the federal government continues to build our stockpiles and distribute millions of doses for doctors to use as they see fit.
And I'm pleased to inform you - we're just having - a lot of good things are happening, but we'll have to see how that all works out. But we have - we've purchased and we have stockpiled millions and millions of doses, and we're distributing it. Some states want it very badly. Michigan - we just sent a lot to Michigan and other areas.
I'm reporting today that we passed 2 million tests completed in the United States, first time - most anywhere in the country. It's a milestone for our country. It's a milestone anywhere. Nobody has done anywhere close. Our tests are highly sophisticated and highly accurate.
At the same time, we're making important progress on the economic front of this war. In a few moments, Secretary of Labor, Eugene Scalia, will explain new steps that we're taking to ensure American workers swiftly receive unemployment and paid leave benefits and that employers protect the health and safety of all workers, including essential workers on the job, working very, very closely with workers and with employers.
To provide further economic relief, the Federal Reserve announced this morning that it'll provide up to $2.3 trillion in support to businesses, states, and local governments. Six hundred billion dollars in loans will be available for mid-sized businesses with up to 10,000 employees. And $500 billion will be available for states, counties with over 2 million residents and cities with a population of over 1 million.
My administration is also working with Congress to replenish the very successful - incredibly successful the way it's going - Paycheck Protection Program, which is allowing hundreds of thousands of small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll, meaning it'll keep those businesses open.
We need both Democrats and Republicans to come together to get this leg- - the legislation completed. And it looks like it's on its way, but we need both. And it should be for people that are working for the workers. And if you look and you see, we have a lot of people that are affected by that, and it's a very positive development. So we have to get a bipartisan approval of that. And hopefully that'll happen.
Today, the Department of Education is also announcing the availability of more than $6 billion in emergency grant funding to assist college students impacted by the cancellation of classes and the suspension of housing. A lot of people had a lot of things suspended; housing is one of them.
...
Read the full transcript HERE.
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Go Back
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everybody. I'd like to begin by saying that we just completed a meeting with the Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on proposals regarding the airlines and the airline business.
And we're working very closely with a lot of different people. We'll be probably putting out a proposal and giving them some of the details - some of the very powerful details over the weekend. It's moving along quickly. The airline business has been hit very hard, as everybody knows. And we are going to be in a position to do a lot to help them so that they keep their employees and they save their businesses.
And that'll be taking place, I think you can say, over the weekend. We may even have discussions with some of the airlines or all of the airlines over the weekend. And I think it's going to be a very acceptable package. It's a very big package and a very acceptable package. It'll be good for our country, good for the airlines, good for a lot of people.
Likewise, I just spoke with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman, and we had a big talk as to oil production and OPEC and making it so that our industry does well and the oil industry does better than it's doing right now. It's - the numbers are so low that there'll be layoffs all over the world. There'll be certainly layoffs in this country. And we don't want that to happen.
We built a great, great energy business in the United States. So we have tens of thousands of jobs. We had a very good talk; we'll see what happens. But as you know, OPEC met today, and I would say they're getting close to a deal. We'll soon find out. So that was a conversation we just had, so we had a busy hour and a half.
And let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the American people. Millions of Americans are making profound and difficult sacrifices in their own lives because they know it will save the lives of countless others. And that's exactly what it's doing. You see what's happening and where we are and where we stand. And hopefully we're going to be opening up - you can call it "opening" very, very - very, very soon, I hope.
Together, our people are writing one of the most noble chapters in the proud history of our nation. Americans are also encouraged to learn that Boris Johnson, Prime Minister, has been moved out of intensive care. That's a tremendous statement. And we continue to pray for him and his fast recovery. That's a very - a very positive development.
As the New York metropolitan area continues its battle against the outbreak, the full power of the federal government is there to support them. As you know, the Javits Center has now been fully converted into a 3,000-bed hospital - one of the
largest anywhere in the country - and by the incredible professionals.
I have to say, the Corps of Engineers, what they can do is just incredible. They've done a fantastic job and they're building, nationwide, 21 temporary hospitals and care facilities, adding 17,000 hospital beds. And they did that all within a very short period of time. It's incredible what they've done. Army Corps of Engineers. And FEMA has been fantastic.
Our sweeping airlift operation to keep doctors and nurses supplied with protective equipment, Project Airbridge, continues to expand with more than 24 flights already completed and 49 additional flights now scheduled in the near future. So that's been very successful. And that gear and those outfits are being handed out. As they arrive, they're going directly to point.
The American medical system continues to perform beyond our highest expectations, reminding us that the United States is blessed with the most advanced healthcare and the most skilled healthcare workers anywhere in the planet. Other countries are looking to what we're doing. And our testing operation has now become far and away the most sophisticated and the best anywhere.
And we want to thank all of the heroes on the frontlines as they fight to save American lives. We're at the top of the hill. Pretty sure we're at the top of the hill, and now we're going downward. In some cases, we've already started that process.
Earlier today, I spoke with hundreds of mental health leaders and advocates from around the country to discuss the vital work and the vital work they're doing. We had the top doctors in the country, some international doctors. Mental health - big factor. Not only has the virus inflicted immense physical suffering on many people, but also mental and emotional suffering as well. Even though we're staying physically apart, no American is alone, and we're all in this together. But the mental health doctors and experts - it was a very great call. It was a very interesting call. They're working very hard.
We're also seeing encouraging signs in our race to develop breakthrough treatments and therapies. Pfizer revealed today that it has found a promising new treatment that might prevent the virus from replicating. And that hopes - it hopes to begin testing in clinical trials very soon. It's going to be very, very soon. They have great - great feelings for this particular therapy, and they think that a lot of good things are happening.
Through the FDA's Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, 19 therapies and treatments are now being tested and 26 more are in the active planning or [for] clinical trial. So we have 19 therapies being tested currently, and 26 more are in the active planning for clinical trials. That's a big statement. That's a lot.
Trials for Gilead's antiviral drug, remdesivir, continue. And the company has also expanded emergency use for new patients getting good, early results, by the way. The companies that manufacture hydroxychloroquine are massively ramping up production.
As you know, many people are recommending, strongly, Z-Pak be added - the Z-Pak - and also zinc. And the federal government continues to build our stockpiles and distribute millions of doses for doctors to use as they see fit.
And I'm pleased to inform you - we're just having - a lot of good things are happening, but we'll have to see how that all works out. But we have - we've purchased and we have stockpiled millions and millions of doses, and we're distributing it. Some states want it very badly. Michigan - we just sent a lot to Michigan and other areas.
I'm reporting today that we passed 2 million tests completed in the United States, first time - most anywhere in the country. It's a milestone for our country. It's a milestone anywhere. Nobody has done anywhere close. Our tests are highly sophisticated and highly accurate.
At the same time, we're making important progress on the economic front of this war. In a few moments, Secretary of Labor, Eugene Scalia, will explain new steps that we're taking to ensure American workers swiftly receive unemployment and paid leave benefits and that employers protect the health and safety of all workers, including essential workers on the job, working very, very closely with workers and with employers.
To provide further economic relief, the Federal Reserve announced this morning that it'll provide up to $2.3 trillion in support to businesses, states, and local governments. Six hundred billion dollars in loans will be available for mid-sized businesses with up to 10,000 employees. And $500 billion will be available for states, counties with over 2 million residents and cities with a population of over 1 million.
My administration is also working with Congress to replenish the very successful - incredibly successful the way it's going - Paycheck Protection Program, which is allowing hundreds of thousands of small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll, meaning it'll keep those businesses open.
We need both Democrats and Republicans to come together to get this leg- - the legislation completed. And it looks like it's on its way, but we need both. And it should be for people that are working for the workers. And if you look and you see, we have a lot of people that are affected by that, and it's a very positive development. So we have to get a bipartisan approval of that. And hopefully that'll happen.
Today, the Department of Education is also announcing the availability of more than $6 billion in emergency grant funding to assist college students impacted by the cancellation of classes and the suspension of housing. A lot of people had a lot of things suspended; housing is one of them.
...
Read the full transcript HERE.
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