Andrew Cuomo calls Trump ‘incompetent’ and ‘irrelevant’ after Don threatened to WITHHOLD Covid vaccine from NY
NEW YORK Governor Andrew Cuomo slammed the Trump Administration as “incompetent” after the president threatened to withhold a coronavirus vaccine from the state.
President Donald Trump, during remarks from the Rose Garden providing an update on Operation Warp Speed on Friday, said that a vaccine will be available as soon as April “with the exception of places like New York State.”
He added: “He doesn’t trust where the vaccine is coming from.”
Cuomo on Friday evening to address the president’s remarks and previous comments the governor had made.
“Katy, none of what he said is true. Surprise, surprise. We're all excited about the possibilities about a vaccine. It's not that people don't trust the vaccine companies, the pharmaceutical companies,” Cuomo said.
“Well that's my point. You know, the federal government on COVID has been very short on details and has frankly been incompetent in the administration. In New York we have many questions,” Cuomo said.
The governor said New York officials are not clear on how many doses the state would get and how quickly it would get them to create a real distribution program – particularly for the poor communities and people of color who are more susceptible to the disease.
“They talk about basically a private health institution distribution mechanism. They'll give it to hospitals, they'll give it to drug store chains, et cetera.,” Cuomo said.
He continued: “We cannot waste time and can only give to those states that will use the Vaccine immediately. Therefore the New York delay. Many lives to be saved, but we are ready when they are. Stop playing politics!”
Cuomo told the New York Daily News on Saturday that Trump “has been unhappy with New York because New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly against him.”
“New Yorkers don’t back down to bullies,” he added.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, , also slammed the president for his comments about the distribution of the vaccine in New York.
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She added: “Once there is a fully-developed COVID-19 vaccine, we are confident that a Biden-Harris Administration will provide New York with the proper number of doses so that our state’s residents can achieve immunity.”