President Trump briefs reports at the White House on March 27. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
"If they don't treat you right, I don't call," President Trump told reporters at the White House coronavirus task force briefing on Friday, referring to U.S. governors battling the spread of COVID-19.
What he's saying: Trump said that while "generally speaking," the nation's governors have been appreciative of his administration's efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, there are some — including Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — who the task force should not bother contacting.
- "All I want them to do, very simple, I want them to be appreciative. I don't want them to say things that aren't true, I want them to be appreciative. We've done a great job," Trump said on Friday.
- When discussing Vice President Mike Pence's efforts on the task force, Trump said: "He calls all the governors, I tell him, I mean I'm a different type of person, I say Mike, don't call the governor of Washington, you're wasting your time with him. Don't call the woman in Michigan ... if they don't treat you right, I don't call. He's a different type of person."
- The White House declined to comment.
Flashback: Trump singled out Inslee and Whitmer during an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday, saying neither of them were doing enough to tackle COVID-19, the New York Times reports.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rebutted Trump’s comments on Friday that Washington state had overlooked thousands of ventilators found in storage, the Times reports.
Driving the news: Some of the latest federal efforts to offset the medical and economic fallout from COVID-19 are a $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law by Trump on Friday, and the appointment of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro to enforce the Defense Production Act.
Go deeper: Trump signs $2 trillion relief bill as U.S. coronavirus case count tops 100,000