Donald Trump claimed he is responsible for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's high approval ratings over his response to the coronavirus outbreak in the Empire State.

"One of the reasons why he's successful is because we've helped make him successful," the president said during a 56-minute telephone interview with Fox News. "He's gotten good marks, but I've gotten great marks."

A new Siena College poll shows 87 percent for New Yorkers approving of the Democratic state chief executive's handling of the pandemic outbreak. Just 41 percent of New York residents approve of Mr Trump's response.

Nationally, however, the president gets much higher marks.

Several polls released last week show a slight majority of Americans approve of Mr Trump's response to the crisis.

His highest virus approval mark, 52 per cent, came in a Washington Post/ABC News survey that he and his staff have lauded since it was released.

The president again appeared to question the contention by Mr Cuomo and other governors that they need more health equipment and supplies from the federal government.

"New York should be fine. They should have more than enough," the president said Monday morning, referring to Mr Cuomo calling for more ventilators as he deals with around 60,000 confirmed cases in his state and more than 700 deaths.

Even Republicans say they have been impressed by Mr Cuomo's actions and public messaging during the outbreak, leading political circles to buzz with what-if scenarios about a what-could-have-been Cuomo 2020 candidacy.

The incumbent of the White House also has thought about it.

"I think probably Andrew would be better," Mr Trump said of whether the New York governor would be a stronger presidential candidate than former Vice President Joe Biden, who is his party's presumptive nominee after pulling away from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

"I wouldn't mind running against Andrew. I've know Andrew for a long time," he said. "I think he'd be a better candidate than 'Sleepy Joe.' I wouldn't mind running against Andrew. I don't mind running against Joe Biden."

Several new polls released over the weekend show Mr Biden with a slight lead over Mr Trump -- but all those margins are well within the surveys' margins of error, suggesting a very close race months from Election Day.

The former VP on Sunday slammed the president's "slow response" to a virus that US intelligence agencies were warning him about for weeks. Mr Biden said Mr Trump has shown an "inability to do the things that needed to be done quickly."