Republican billionaire Ken Langone praised the health-care industry, public service workers and drug companies in the fight against the coronavirus but bashed the news media.

In an interview Monday on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Langone said the media's coverage of the Trump administration's efforts against the outbreak is too aggressive because the country needs to be united.

"Don't short America," said Langone, who is chairman of NYU Langone Medical Center, one of the nation's premier hospitals and has given hundreds of millions of dollars to NYU's hospital and medical school.

From doctors and nurses to police officers and firefighters, "people are making sacrifices for the benefit of all of us. The least we can do is our part. Our part as citizens should be stay home, obey separation." Langone said. "It is working."

The co-founder of Home Depot and founder of investment firm Invemed Associates also lauded pharmaceutical and biotech companies for devoting all their research capabilities to trying to find a coronavirus vaccine and treatments for Covid-19.

Langone said there will be plenty of time for recriminations after the crisis has passed. He was particularly critical of the media for what he sees as inflammatory coverage. He said he gives the media a "big fat 'F.'"

The final judgment on whether President Donald Trump acted quickly enough and forcefully enough will be the November election, Langone said.

In the meantime, Langone urged "unity like never before," saying he hopes within the next month the U.S. could start seeing daily life approach a return to normal.