Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is chiding President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak while giving a day-to-day running commentary on his job performance.
Her advice includes directing the president to fully implement the Defense Production Act, a measure that increases executive power to direct the private sector to produce needed supplies in a national emergency.
“Let’s try this again, @realdonaldtrump:,” Clinton tweeted. “Hospitals are already running out of ventilators and beds. Nurses are using bandanas as masks.”
“If you’ve already ordered more with the Defense Production Act, tell us now,” Clinton tweeted. “If you haven’t, you’re failing to lead and failing Americans.”
Trump announced on Wednesday — before Clinton’s critical tweet — he was indeed invoking the Defense Production Act at a coronavirus press conference at the White House.
“I would like to begin by announcing some important developments in our war against the Chinese virus,” Trump said.
“We’ll be invoking the Defense Production Act, just in case we need it. In other words, I think you all know what it is, and it can do a lot of good things if we need it,” Trump said. “And we will — we will have it all completed, signing it in just a little while.”
“Right after I’m finished with this conference, I’ll be signing it,” Trump said. “It’s prepared to go. “So we will be invoking the Defense Production Act.”
“The Defense Production Act of 1950 was signed by President Harry S. Truman amid concerns about supplies and equipment during that war,” the Military Times reported. “It’s been invoked multiple times since then to help the federal government for a range of emergencies including war, hurricanes and terrorism prevention.”
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