Andrew Cuomo Mobilizes New York National Guard to Move ‘Urgently Required’ Ventilators

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has mobilized the state’s National Guard. He’s made the decision because of a lack of ventilators amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

“We do not have enough ventilators. Period,” Cuomo said on Twitter.

“I am signing an Executive Order allowing the state to take ventilators and redistribute to hospitals in need.”

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“The National Guard will be mobilized to move ventilators to where they are urgently required to save lives,” he said.

Cuomo has repeatedly warned about the lack of ventilators in New York. The Governor said the state would need 30 to 40 thousand ventilators but President Donald Trump dismissed this.

“This virus is not an issue of states’ rights,” he said.

“This is a national disaster. The states need federal assistance. No state can get all the ventilators they need. We need a national deployment of resources that follows need.”

“Helping one another is in the American DNA,” he went on.

“At this time when we’re dealing with our worst let’s deploy America at its best.”

Cuomo’s decision comes as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called for the U.S. Army to mobilize.

“I think they want to be at the front,” de Blasio said.

Jared Kushner has also dismissed Cuomo’s ventilator numbers. The President’s son-in-law said New York needed fewer of the lifesaving machines.

“New York doesn’t need all the ventilators,” Kushner said in a meeting.

Governor Cuomo has taken matters into his own hands.

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Darragh Roche

Darragh Roche is a journalist covering U.S. politics and media