Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Vivek Hallegere MurthyBill Clinton to launch podcast Buttigieg, former officials added to Biden's transition team The Hill's Convention Report: Biden's big night | Steve Bannon's fall | Pelosi weighs in on Mass. Senate primary MORE said that the country was "a bit late to recognize how bad this was," describing the federal government's response to the coronavirus.

"We have been late, also, when it comes to ramping up testing, which we desperately need," Murthy, who served under the Obama administration said, according to Yahoo Finance.

"What we really need both with testing and when it comes to the protective equipment is we do need the federal government to be more aggressive in stepping in and taking over the supply, the production, as well as the distribution piece of this," he continued.

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His statement comes as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Andrew CuomoNYT editorial board remembers Ginsburg: She 'will forever have two legacies' New York to honor Ginsburg with statue in Brooklyn New York City bus driver knocked out by passenger he told to wear a mask MORE (D) Friday called for more aid from the federal government to fund increased testing.

However, President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE has signaled he thinks the states are responsible for testing their own public.

"The States have to step up their TESTING!" Trump tweeted Friday while also knocking Cuomo over Twitter for requesting help with "testing that you should be doing."

The U.S. has grappled with supply stocks of personal protective equipment and testing kit shortages, with Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzMurkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (R-Texas) calling on the administration to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) for testing supplies.

"I have been urging the administration to move more effectively, to do things like use the Defense Production Act," Cruz said on Friday, Yahoo Finance reported.

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Trump signed an executive order on March 18, invoking the DPA to enforce private businesses such as 3M to prioritize government contracts and boost essential supply production.

Murthy called for further action, saying, "We do need a wartime production board like we saw with World War II to ensure that we're coordinating all levers within this country."

The former surgeon general said the nation had made progress in handling the virus over the last month but added that "it's unfortunately nowhere near where it needs to be if we want to feel safe to relax social distancing restrictions."