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Illinois Governor Perfectly Shames Donald Trump After Trump Tried to Blame Governors and the Media for Response Failure
In the face of the current public health crisis facing the United States, President Donald Trump has found himself at odds with governors around the country for his hesitation to use federal powers to help curb the virus.
Trump recently told a group of governors to take their own measures to procure lifesaving medical equipment and he's attacked governors on Twitter for criticizing the federal government's response.
Trump's latest gubernatorial target was Democratic Illinois governor JB Pritzker, whom Trump accused of working with "Fake News" media to blame the federal government for "their own shortcomings."
.@JBPritzker, Governor of Illinois, and a very small group of certain other Governors, together with Fake News @CNN… https://t.co/T0xCJ7AEB6— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1584893699.0
Prtizker has said that Illinois is being forced to compete with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other states for ventilators—a vital tool for managing the respiratory virus.
The Governor is one of many officials criticizing Trump for his refusal to use the Defense Production Act to mobilize private companies in the production of medical equipment to avoid a shortage. He's also called on Trump to use federal powers to mediate the distribution of medical equipment to states.
After his Sunday morning tweet, Pritzker was quick to remind the President of the federal government's shortcomings in the face of the virus.
You wasted precious months when you could've taken action to protect Americans & Illinoisans. You should be leadin… https://t.co/zybf3wzXDc— Governor JB Pritzker (@Governor JB Pritzker) 1584896048.0
Pritzker railed against Trump for dismissing the virus as the first outbreaks were spreading throughout the United States. He also pressed Trump on the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), which health professionals across the country have had trouble procuring.
Despite Trump's Twitter tantrum people largely sided with Governor Pritzker.
More Governors, Senators, Representatives and Mayors need to speak frankly and honestly to him in this manner. His… https://t.co/bgPFjRz40b— Rep. Richard Dangler (@Rep. Richard Dangler) 1584896672.0
I'm absolutely loving my governor ripping into the president https://t.co/9rQsCmWnr7— Reese Armstrong (@Reese Armstrong) 1584906601.0
I am so proud of my state and my governor's response to this pandemic, from one of the earliest shelter in place or… https://t.co/B6KJd4xUEY— social distancing champion 2020 (@social distancing champion 2020) 1584915381.0
Thank you for your leadership, Mr. Governor. In times like these our community, our state, and our country is safer… https://t.co/lytESRjQy8— Aarón Ortíz (@Aarón Ortíz) 1584898705.0
People continued to criticize Trump for failing to sufficiently use his office to mobilize resources and show leadership.
The whiplash from "Only I can fix it" to "I don't take responsibility at all" and "We are there to back you up shou… https://t.co/FlzrOoM89l— Joshua Karp (@Joshua Karp) 1584894842.0
Trump's strategy to defeat a global pandemic is assessing blame. Trump is a weak man's idea of what a leader shou… https://t.co/1J1i0VTyAj— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1584904795.0
.@realDonaldTrump, dear Lord—please step up and be a leader. While you have been yammering about hoaxes and fake ne… https://t.co/dVaChFvVGq— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@Mayor Lori Lightfoot) 1584896176.0
FDR : We have nothing to fear, but fear itself Truman: The buck stops here JFK: Ask not what your country can do fo… https://t.co/F7Ba0CmwCl— Portia Wash Your Hands McGonagal (@Portia Wash Your Hands McGonagal) 1584903415.0
While the President's leadership has been heavily criticized, the response of governors around the United States has been praised for stepping up where the federal government refused.