Trump tells governors he “hasn’t heard about testing in weeks.”
President Trump told governors on a conference call Monday that he “hasn’t heard about testing in weeks,” suggesting that a chronic lack of kits to test people for the coronavirus is no longer a problem. But governors painted a different picture on the ground.
Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana, a Democrat, explained that officials in his state were attempting to do “contact tracing” — tracking down people who have come into contact with those who have tested positive — but they were struggling because “we don’t have adequate tests,” according to an audio recording of the conversation obtained by The New York Times.
Mr. Trump initially said that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, could respond to the question, but then quickly offered a rejoinder. “I haven’t heard about testing in weeks,” the president said. “We’ve tested more now than any nation in the world. We’ve got these great tests and we’re coming out with a faster one this week.” Reiterating his point, Mr. Trump added: “I haven’t heard about testing being a problem.”
Many people who have symptoms of the virus are still finding it difficult to be tested, and many who have been tested are waiting more than a week to get results. The failures of the federal government to adequately develop testing supplies for the contagion have been well-documented by The Times and other news outlets, reports that have rankled Mr. Trump.