Trump’s coronavirus task force on Thursday afternoon visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency to hear from several governors about the challenges facing their states.
Multiple governors expressed their concerns over obtaining additional personal protective equipment for health care workers, the need for additional reagents and swabs to complete coronavirus testing, and a general request for flexible federal funding for states.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said his state will likely need to tap into strategic reserves of medical equipment, despite Trump’s prodding that states build their own supply chains.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker echoed these concerns, expressing frustration with suppliers that have turned down his requests and selling to the federal government instead.
“I got to tell you that on three big orders we lost to the feds,” Baker said.
The Democratic governor then pushed Trump to encourage companies to sell to states, even if they can’t beat the federal government on prices.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards asked for help providing additional hospital capacity, including federal approval to use a Veterans Administration hospital for coronavirus treatment.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan outlined three requests brought up at a recent meeting of the National Governors Association, including funneling 50 percent of supplemental income to the states, authorizing greater flexibility in how governors can use their National Guard divisions, and more flexibility in completing the 2020 census and REAL ID requirements.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo asked for direct support to hospitals as a part of any future stimulus package and possibly bridge grants to help states achieve short-term liquidity.
Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker repeated concerns over the current extent of drive-through testing, noting that his state had only received 5,000 tests. He said that it is only enough for one or two days of testing based on current demand.
Trump and other members of the coronavirus task force noted that states should process requests through FEMA, which he said is working closely with the White House.
Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to block states from regulating artificial intelligence. He argues that heavy regulations could stifle the industry, especially given competition from China. Trump says the U.S. needs a unified approach to AI regulation to avoid complications from state-by-state rules. The order directs the administration to draw up a list of problematic regulations for the Attorney General to challenge. States with laws could lose access to broadband funding, according to the text of the order. Some states have already passed AI laws focusing on transparency and limiting data collection.
The New York Times and President Donald Trump are fighting again. The news outlet said Wednesday it won't be deterred by Trump's “false and inflammatory language” from writing about the 79-year-old president's health. The Times has done a handful of stories on that topic recently, including an opinion column that said Trump is “starting to give President Joe Biden vibes.” In a Truth Social post, Trump said it might be treasonous for outlets like the Times to do “FAKE” reports about his health and "we should do something about it.” The Republican president already has a pending lawsuit against the newspaper for its past reports on his finances.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
