Coronavirus: Donald Trump says the UK 'called and asked him for 200 ventilators'
7 April 2020, 23:20
President Trump has claimed that the UK called him and "asked him for 200 ventilators" on Tuesday.
Speaking during a White House coronavirus briefing on Tuesday, the President said: "There are 8,675 ventilators in stock ready to be moved."
He also claimed that the US will be receiving 110,000 ventilators by the end of June.
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"Hopefully we won't need all of them. I don't think we'll need anywhere near that," he continued.
"But we'll have them for the future and we'll also be able to help other countries who are desperate for ventilators.
"The UK called today and they wanted to know would it be possible to get 200 and we're going to work it out for them."
The president also announced that the US will stop sending money to the World Health Organisation, even as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
He said: “They called it wrong. They called it wrong.”
“They missed the call. They could’ve called it months earlier.”
On Tuesday, the US reported 394,278 cases of Covid-19 and 12,717 deaths.
On Boris Johnson's stay in intensive care, Mr Trump added: "We pray for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He's become a great friend of ours.
"He loves his country but he loves the USA and he has always been very good to us.
"Whenever we have had difficulty he has been with us and we appreciate it."
The President also said: "I send my love to the people of New York and New Jersey, and I grieve for anyone who has lost a loved one."
His comments come as the number of people who have died in New York City after getting coronavirus has exceeded the figure from 9/11.
More than 3200 people have now lost their lives in the state.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said new York as a whole has seen its highest daily increase in reported deaths.
Speaking to the people in the worst affected states, the President said: "I will protect you if your governor fails. If you have a governor that is failing, we're going to protect you.
"But the governors are working well with us over the last period of time."
The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2020
During yesterday's press conference, Donald Trump said he was "praying" for his "friend" Boris Johnson's recovery whilst speaking at the White House on Monday.
Mr Trump said: "I also want to send my best wishes to a very good friend of mine and a friend to our nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
"We are very saddened to hear that he was taken into intensive care this afternoon a little while ago, and Americans are all praying for his recovery.
"He's been a really good friend, he's been something really special.
"Strong, resolute, he doesn't quit and he doesn't give up."
