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JOINS US WITH THIS. ERIKA: THE PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE WAS THE GOVERNOR SHOULD HAVE OFFERED TO PAY MORE. THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT A GAP IN SUPPLY, THE WHITE HOUSE TEAM SAID DONATED SUPPLIES FROM CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES HAVE HELPED IMMENSELY. THE VICE PRESIDENT ALSO EXPLAINED A BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO LOOSEN REGULATIONS ON COMPANIES IS ALLOWING MAKERS LIKE 3M TO SELL ALL OF THEIR MASKS TO THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR. THEY URGED STATES TO BUY DIRECTLY AND NOT RELY ON THE FEDERAL STOCKPILE. GOVERNOR BAKER SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT BEGAN A SHORT TIME AGO. HE SAID HE TRIED TO DO JUST THAT BUT LOST BIDS FOR THREE BIG ORDERS TO THE FED. >> I GOT A FEELING THAT IF SOMEBODY HAS A CHANCE TO SELL TO YOU OR TO SELL TO ME THAT I'M GOING TO LOSE EVERY ONE OF THOSE. >> [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, WE DO LIKE YOU GOING OUT SEEING WHAT YOU CAN GET IF YOU CAN GET IT FASTER, AND PRICE’S ALWAYS A COMPONENT OF THAT ALSO. AND MAYBE THAT’S WHY YOU LOST TO THE FEDS, I’LL TELL YOU THAT’S PROBABLY WHY. ERIKA: THE PRESIDENT THEN HAVE THE VICE PRESIDENT ADDRESS THIS AND SAY WITH A FAST SAYING THEY WILL GET INTO THE ISSUE. HE COULD COMPEL COMPANIES

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President Donald Trump held a teleconference Thursday with governors at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal agency leading the national coronavirus response.The governors, including Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, have complained of a lack of tests and medical supplies. Vice President Mike Pence said the response, however, will be federally supported but executed by state and local officials.“The federal government's not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping," Trump said. “You know, we're not a shipping clerk.” He said governors “are supposed to be doing it.”Baker said Massachusetts lost bids for three big orders to the federal government. "I got a feeling that if somebody has a chance to sell to you or has the chance to sell to me that I'm going to lose every one of those," Baker said while speaking to Trump. "Well, we do like you going out, seeing what you can get if you can get it faster, and prices always a component of that also," the president said. "And maybe that's why you lost to the feds, I'll tell you that's probably why." “We'll help out, and we'll help out wherever we can," he said. Just a day earlier, though, Trump invoked emergency powers enabling the federal government to shape private-sector production to try to fill critical shortages in ventilators, masks and other supplies for patients. U.S. officials said cases are certain to surge as backlogged labs report results and as infection continues to grow in the population.More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct wide-scale testing. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of supplies needed to protect health care workers and ventilators that are used to treat respiratory symptoms of the virus.For most people, COVID-19 causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.Trump called the battle against the coronavirus a “medical war” not a “financial war.” But he said he believed the U.S. government should take equity stakes in some companies hard hit by the pandemic and aided by taxpayers.