President Trump on Tuesday played down concerns about the coronavirus within the U.S., saying things were "under control" and was a "problem that's getting to get away ."
"We have only a few people with it," Trump told reporters at a press conference in New Delhi, adding that he wasn't totally trapped on the newest details due to his trip to India but that "the people are becoming better, they're all recuperating," about patients within the U.S.
"I think that the entire situation will start understanding. tons of talent, tons of brainpower is being put behind it," he said.
Trump's comments came because the administration is preparing to ask Congress for emergency funding to affect a crisis -- $1.25 billion in new funding and another $1.25 billion shifted from existing funding previously allocated for other reasons, including some designated to affect the Ebola virus.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar was expected to detail the supplemental budget request at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday morning.
If approved, the funds would be earmarked for accelerated vaccine development, to support preparedness and response activities, and for the procurement of kit and supplies, consistent with the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Democrats immediately attacked the administration response, with Senate legislator Chuck Schumer calling it "too little, too late."
"That President Trump is trying to steal funds dedicated to fighting Ebola is indicative of his towering incompetence and further proof that he and his administration aren’t taking the Coronavirus crisis as seriously as they have to be," he said on Twitter. "We’ve seen no sign that President Trump has any plan or urgency to affect the spread of the Coronavirus. we'd like real leadership, and that we need it fast."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the request was "long overdue and completely inadequate to the size of this emergency" and said the House would suggest its own emergency funding measure.
"Two and a half-billion dollars, we're fixing. I see that Chuck Schumer criticized it; he thought it should be more. And if I gave more, he'd say it should be less. Automatic, you know, with these characters. they're just not good for our country," Trump responded at his press conference.
Senators who got a closed-door briefing on the coronavirus situation Tuesday morning gave sharply different accounts, counting on their party.
Republicans came out supporting the president's line, with GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee noting there have been only 14 cases within the U.S., which he called "remarkable."
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called making the briefing "classified" was "inexplicable" which if the American people had heard what senators were told, there would be "outrage" and "uproar."
Senators said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases helped give the briefing, alongside Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, and Acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
At an earlier event in India Tuesday, reacting to Monday's stock exchange drop amid fears of the spreading coronavirus, President Trump said it had been “pretty bad” and a “very serious thing” but expressed confidence that “it’s getting to compute fine” which the virus will “go away.”
“I see the [market] futures are up today, fairly substantially, but that’s a really serious thing but we expect we are in excellent shape within us,” Trump said during remarks with a gaggle of Indian business leaders in reacting to the stock drop.
“It seems like they're getting it in check, more and more, they're getting more and more in check. So I feel that's a drag that's getting to get away,” Trump said.
Relating to the business leaders within the room, the president compared the virus to an outdoor factor that will impact a business.
“We lost almost 1000 points yesterday on the market and that is something you recognize things like that happen where, and you've got it in your business all the time had nothing to try to to with you it’s an outdoor source that no-one would have every predicted if you return six months or three months ago nobody would have ever predicted,” Trump said. In fact, the Dow lost quite a thousand points, closing down 1031 points.
“But let's examine I feel it's getting to be in check and that I think I can represent our country is under control… then, let's examine how it all works out but I feel it's getting to compute fine,” he continued.
"We have only a few people with it," Trump told reporters at a press conference in New Delhi, adding that he wasn't totally trapped on the newest details due to his trip to India but that "the people are becoming better, they're all recuperating," about patients within the U.S.
"I think that the entire situation will start understanding. tons of talent, tons of brainpower is being put behind it," he said.
Trump's comments came because the administration is preparing to ask Congress for emergency funding to affect a crisis -- $1.25 billion in new funding and another $1.25 billion shifted from existing funding previously allocated for other reasons, including some designated to affect the Ebola virus.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar was expected to detail the supplemental budget request at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday morning.
If approved, the funds would be earmarked for accelerated vaccine development, to support preparedness and response activities, and for the procurement of kit and supplies, consistent with the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Democrats immediately attacked the administration response, with Senate legislator Chuck Schumer calling it "too little, too late."
"That President Trump is trying to steal funds dedicated to fighting Ebola is indicative of his towering incompetence and further proof that he and his administration aren’t taking the Coronavirus crisis as seriously as they have to be," he said on Twitter. "We’ve seen no sign that President Trump has any plan or urgency to affect the spread of the Coronavirus. we'd like real leadership, and that we need it fast."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the request was "long overdue and completely inadequate to the size of this emergency" and said the House would suggest its own emergency funding measure.
"Two and a half-billion dollars, we're fixing. I see that Chuck Schumer criticized it; he thought it should be more. And if I gave more, he'd say it should be less. Automatic, you know, with these characters. they're just not good for our country," Trump responded at his press conference.
Senators who got a closed-door briefing on the coronavirus situation Tuesday morning gave sharply different accounts, counting on their party.
Republicans came out supporting the president's line, with GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee noting there have been only 14 cases within the U.S., which he called "remarkable."
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called making the briefing "classified" was "inexplicable" which if the American people had heard what senators were told, there would be "outrage" and "uproar."
Senators said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases helped give the briefing, alongside Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, and Acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
At an earlier event in India Tuesday, reacting to Monday's stock exchange drop amid fears of the spreading coronavirus, President Trump said it had been “pretty bad” and a “very serious thing” but expressed confidence that “it’s getting to compute fine” which the virus will “go away.”
“I see the [market] futures are up today, fairly substantially, but that’s a really serious thing but we expect we are in excellent shape within us,” Trump said during remarks with a gaggle of Indian business leaders in reacting to the stock drop.
“It seems like they're getting it in check, more and more, they're getting more and more in check. So I feel that's a drag that's getting to get away,” Trump said.
Relating to the business leaders within the room, the president compared the virus to an outdoor factor that will impact a business.
“We lost almost 1000 points yesterday on the market and that is something you recognize things like that happen where, and you've got it in your business all the time had nothing to try to to with you it’s an outdoor source that no-one would have every predicted if you return six months or three months ago nobody would have ever predicted,” Trump said. In fact, the Dow lost quite a thousand points, closing down 1031 points.
“But let's examine I feel it's getting to be in check and that I think I can represent our country is under control… then, let's examine how it all works out but I feel it's getting to compute fine,” he continued.
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