After Feds Grab Colorado Order Of 500 Ventilators, Trump Tweets State Will Get 100 From Stockpile

Gardner told Fox News that he brought up the issue with Trump during a Tuesday night phone call. What wasn’t hinted at during this Twitter exchange, or Gardner’s TV appearance, is the fraught relationship Colorado has had with the Trump administration as leaders here try to acquire the necessary medical equipment to combat COVID-19. “But this middle ground where they’re buying stuff out from under us and not telling us what we’re going to get — that’s really challenging to manage our hospital surge and our safety of our health care workers in that kind of environment.” On Tuesday, Conor Cahill, a spokesperson for Polis, said the governor welcomes the news of more ventilators coming to the state. “He is committed to continuing to work with the federal government, other states, and the private sector to acquire the necessary equipment needed to protect the lives of Coloradans.” The 100 ventilators also falls significantly short of what Polis has pushed the federal government to provide. He wrote to Vice President Mike Pence , head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force on March 28, asking for 10,000 ventilators and more personal protective gear. It’s not the first time the president has given credit to someone from his own party for securing federal aid, without acknowledging similar requests from Democrats. For example, after hurricane Dorian hit North Carolina last fall, Trump said he approved a disaster declaration for the state at the request of GOP Senator Thom Tillis. The bill has strong bipartisan support, which Gardner has touted, but which the president has generally overlooked.