States Are Livid After Trump Sends Useless Coronavirus Testing Equipment

Governors across the country are fuming as Trump sent each state 15 rapid coronavirus test machines, but only 100 test cartridges.

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The Wall Street Journal talked to frustrated and angry governors from both parties:

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, whose state got 15 of Abbott Laboratories ’ testing machines for Covid-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus—and cartridges to conduct only about 100 tests. Mr. Sununu, speaking at a news conference, said most of the machines would sit idle until he could figure out how to get more of the cartridges, one of which is needed to complete each test.

“There was a lot of hype on this nationally,” the Republican said. “To have 13 of these devices and no way to use them—I’m banging my head against the wall.”

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In Illinois, where Abbott Laboratories is based, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he spoke to the company more than a week ago and thought he had an agreement to conduct 88,000 tests a month, or about 3,000 tests a day. He subsequently learned that the federal government was taking over purchasing and distribution of the tests. Instead, Illinois received 15 Abbott machines and 120 cartridges. “That’s eight tests per machine for all of Illinois,” Mr. Pritzker, a Democrat, said.

States can’t even buy their own test cartridges, because Trump is controlling the supply.

Trump spent days and weeks at his press conferences hailing the fast coronavirus testing machines, but he won’t give the states the supplies that they need to carry out the tests.

The Trump administration is doing everything that they can to make sure that there is not adequate coronavirus testing in the United States. Without adequate testing, Trump can proclaim the coronavirus defeated and try to reopen the economy. It doesn’t matter how many people are sick and dying, Trump is trying to save his reelection campaign.

Trump is sending the states useless equipment in the middle of a pandemic, in an intentional effort to keep data from being collected about the spread of the coronavirus.

Donald Trump has gone from inept to criminal as Americans get sick and die from the virus.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association