inconsistently, because the you won't, that would be a 254,000 does not include all the local hospitals or all the local labs in our states, it's working but i have to say on the testing, if this works out, and out to be about one in 10 we think it might, the new tests americans who have been tested will be a simple one, easier that thought they had than the existing test which is coronavirus actually had it. nine out of ten did not. quite complex and not a lot of but we'll continue to roll out fun to take. and this will be a game changer. the testing to provide that resource to the american people. and we are working to make but, remember, we inherited a testing happen faster. broken, obsolete system. we expect from word from the it was good for a small number commercial labs that we should be caught up on the backlog in of people, with ybut not good f testing by the middle of the millions of people we are week. talking about. and we are urging today on the and we made this into a system no matter where you go in the president's behalf that all labs world, that's where they are going, how they are going to be doing it should something like would prioritize inpatient this happen again. testing. let me say again, all of the so our people have done a commercial labs in the country, fantastic job. really a fantastic job. you will receive guidance from and i hope the new test works hhs tomorrow, but on behalf of out. we'll know fairly soon, i think, the president and white house coronavirus task force, we are dr., we'll be knowing about that fairly soon. urging all commercial labs to hopefully it will check out or test out. and looking prioritize inpatient testing. we want people that have been forward t ships. so we have the mercy, and that's

checked in to a hospital that are being treated for what they suspect to be coronavirus to receive those tests more going to california,ist it's oe west coast now. and you have a sister ship quickly. also, i'm pleased to report that yesterday the fda approved an that's essentially a twin, they are incredible. i mean, they are incredible emergency authorization on a new test that should be in ships. i've seen it. i've seen one of them. production by the end of march. it actually would be a and they are unbelievable what they can do in their capacity. coronavirus test. the results of which come back in 45 minutes. many operating rooms, they are and also working, fda is working wartime ships, they are meant with manufacturers around the country to come up with even for war. faster, more innovative tests. many operating rooms, stainless and as we told our governors in several calls this week, steele, these ships are as good governors and state health officials should simply contact as anywhere in the nation. i spoke with governor cuomo fema for the latest information on testing solutions. today, we had a number of let me also say, tomorrow when conversations today, actually. he's working very hard. and we are going to be bringing we gather at this podium we'll be unveiling with dr. bob that ship, that's called the redfield in the lead new comfort. so you have the mercy and guidance for people that work in comfort. comfort is on the east coast. and that ship will be coming over the next three or four law enforcement. first responders. people that work in what we call weeks. it's being -- it was in the middle of maintenance. and we are moving the

critic maintenance very, very quickly. critical infrastructure in the and also supplying the ship country. it was in early march people that were asymptomatic but simultaneously. big supplies going into those exposed to someone with ships, big, and that ship will be coming up here over the next coronavirus who zbgave them few weeks. and we'll probably be putting it guidance returning to work wearing a mask for 14 days. in new york harbor. and tomorrow at this podium cdc and we are making arrangements will unveil in cooperation with the department of homeland for that also as to where it's security new guidance which will make it possible for people that going to be docked. have been exposed to return to so you have the mercy and work more quickly by wearing a comfort that will be coming up. mercy will start very quickly. mask for a certain period of it will be arriving in los time. let me also amplify a point on angeles pretty soon. behalf of the president and on so we look forward to that. behalf of the state department about americans abroad. question? abc go ahead. >> first of all, senator paul one of the reasons why the testing positive. united states is in a different when is the last time you had position today than portions of inperson contact with him? europe are and china and >> i think it was a white ago. elsewhere is because the >> four senators are in president suspended all travel from china. isolation. and the rules say that in toward to vote -- he suspended travel from europe >> who are they? >> romney, senator lee, and u.k. and ireland. but the state department is working around the clock to gardener, and senator rick scott also.

assist americans who may find two of them were in contact with themselves overseas. they are able to come home. you. with the critical stimulus package. >> romney is in isolation? there is no barriers to americans coming back to >> yeah. >> gee, that's too bad. american soil. they are screened through a series of airports when they go ahead. come home. >> did i detect sarcasm there? but we are aware with flights >> none whatsoever. being canceled some americans >> do you think congress can are una ibl to find a way home. change the rules voting and as the president said we remotely? >> i was thinking about it have been working diligently today. and i'm saying you could have a lot of senators and a lot of through the state department to make it possible. commercial flights have brn house members. chartered. also working with the military i spoke last night with a very, very good man, who happens to be for back up on flights. at this point the state in the house, as you know. department has brought more than and he's just started. 3,000 americans back home. but speaking to the secretary of and he tested positive. state today, he wanted me to so you could have a large number share a website and a phone of people, and they are from number for any american that might be looking on from congress, between house and senate a large number. overseas. and i think it's something, at you can call the smart traveler least i fully understand why you should be there, i think it may enrollment program at be a constitutional reason why you should. but we could be in a position where i would certainly be in 1-888-407-4747. favor of it where they could orp you can go online at vote from a certain outside location. i would be in favor of it t i step.state.gov. was thinking of it today.

this will allow embassies and i mean, we could be in this, look, with what's going on, consulate to get information nobody has ever seen anything about your situation and work to like this, you could have a lot facilitate to bring you home. of people in there from let me say, finally, as i began, let me close, as the chairman or congress. and it would certainly be -- he leader of this white h taske there is a reason constitutionally, and there may be, but i would be totally in favor of it on a temporary basis. >> reporter: it does seem like responding. negotiations still have a way to because as we speak about supplies and speak about go on stimulus package. testing, the most important are you concerned with the thing every american can do is timing? >> we all have an interesting heed the guidance and the direction from your state and thing. we all want to get to the same local officials, particularly in place. and i just wrote this down just areas where we have widespread a little while ago. coronavirus infections. we want to protect the worker bull for every american, putting very much, so do they, so do the into practice these measures the democrats. we also want to protect the president alluded to at the very worker through their companies. beginning of his remarks is it a we don't want to necessarily -- way we can do this, america. we are going to help the worker and we can lessen the magnitude anyway, but ideally they could go back to their great of the coronavirus in our companies. we have great p cans in financial trouble now. country. with the cooperation, and we need money to help those compassion, generosity, and companies so they can get back prayers of the american people, into where they should be, health. most of these companies four

we can slow the spread. weeks ago were having the best we can protect the most year they will had. vulnerable. last year best year almost all and we can heal our land. of them other than boeing, which so let's do it, america. is incredibly had problems. lave some, maybe y much. big percentage of gdp. but we have to work with boeing. boeing was a great company and will be a great company again. i think shortly. so we have to work with the companies. and they don't want to do that it's crazy they don't want to do that. i don't want stock buybacks. so i don't know where the problem is tlrhere, but i know that's one of the problems there. i don't want stock buybacks. i don't want to bail out a company and have them raise the stock and then get a bonus. okay. so i may be republican, but i don't like that. i want them to use the money for the workers. i want them to use the money for the company to help the company. airline business to take care of their planes and all of the things they have to do, including buying new planes, but i don't want to have any stock buybacks.

the democrats are with me. i don't know what the problem is on that one. because i can't imagine that one is too tough. we want to be able to take care of our people. you are going to have things coming up. we are going to have -- some of the elements that they are talking about, they are down to, i mean, literally 95% of things you would think they wouldn't agree and you would think the republicans wouldn't agree to it, and unemployment as an example is one of the things they talk about. and unemployment insurance. i think we are very close on that, but right now they are not. so right now they are not there. but i think that the democrats want to get there. and i can tell you for a fact, the republicans want to get there. and i don't think anybody actually has a choice. it's a bold package. it's a big package. we do have money for, one of the things is we do have money for saving small businesses. i don't imagine the democrats, because we have a lot of money set a side for small businesses,

we also have a lot of money for the big businesses. big powerful companies that were powerful four weeks ago and today over extended. look at the cruise line, that's a tremendous business, very important to florida, and it's unthinkable a month ago. just unthinkable. they were setting all sorts of records. they were building new ships. we can't let the cruise lines go out of business. i mean, that would be massive numbers of jobs for our country, and actually for the world, but for our country it's a massive business. and it doesn't take much to keep them going. so we have to provide for that. but i think both the democrats and the republicans agreed that we have to take care of our workers. and we'll be doing that in numerous ways, including la substantial casual payment. yes? >> reporter: when it comes to defense production act we know governors all day today were pleading with you to utilize the dpa. >> depends which governors you

are talking about. >> reporter: for that allocation piece that you mentioned, mr. navarro, why not use it now if that would answer their employee pleas for help. >> the fact we signed it it is. we are not a country based on national icing our business. call a person over in venezuela ask them how did national laizan of their country work out. not too well. but i'll tell you why, as peter said, we may have to use it someplace along the chain. but we are getting calls, here's the beauty of it, if we want masks, we don't know how, but haines, they called us, we'll make millions of masks. we got a call from 3m they are going to make great products. for instance, general motors,

ford spoke to us about doing ventilators. the beauty is they are calling us. if you go to the national route, nationalization route, we are going to tell the company to make ventilator, they don't know what a ventilator is. in the case of one company, they used to make them years ago, and they know how to make them. it's a very complex piece of equipment, frankly. so what we are doing is, i think peter said it maybe better than anybody is going to say it, we have the threat of doing it if we need it, we may have to use it somewhere along the supply chain in a minor way, but we have millions of masks being done. we have respiratories. we have ventilators. we have a lot of things happening right now. so just threat of using it. but using it actually is a big deal. i mean, when this was announced, it sent tremors through our business community and through our country. because basically what are you doing? you are talking about you are going to nationalize an industry

or takeaway companies. the truth is companies wouldn't know where to start. there are companies out there you wouldn't think of that called us saying we can do ventilators. we used to do them years ago. and they can do them in large quantities. other companies, if if i call companies and say you build ventilators, they don't even know what a ventilator is. so it's really working out very well. one of the reasons i read the numbers to you is we've given vast numbers of just about everything. we've taken it out of our supply, and we are restocking our supply. but we are really backing up the governors. the governors have to go out and do their things. and you have a lot of governors have done a fan it tastic job. usually the ones complain have the problems. but we have had a great relationship with governor cuomo and governor knew son. and state of washington, those are three hot beds. noul also dealinow we are also

with other states in one form or another. one are very affected in a minor way where you have two or three people. and i don't mean deaths, i mean literally cases. and that's different than new york where you have, you know, tremendous, where everybody. i lived there for a long time. everybody is extremely close, tight. and you have a lot of cases in new york. you have a lot of cases in new york. and we are helping governor cuomo. we are helping governor newsom. they have been, frankly, they have been total gentlemen. they want to get it done. and we want to get it done. but doing it the way we are doing it is really much better. >> reporter: but i'm talking about the supply chain, not about allocation or manufacturing. so the companies -- >> yeah, you're cooprdinate wit for the most part it's been really good. look twi days ago i had a phone call with the governors, i

actually let the press stay. they weren't supposed to stay. and one person of the media says it's surprising. it's actually a little risky doing that because we had democrats and republicans. and they are politicians and they always have something to say. well, i took a lot of calls. and we really didn't get one nasty or bad response. they were thanking us for the job we did. and i had the press, i don't know if you were tlrks i don't thi, i said let them stand there. the governors were very come plamentr me com of e liticians that normally different views on things.

but we are going to get to the same place. we have different views but we'll get to the same place. yeah, please. >> reporter: i wanted to ask if you were considering an executive order to free elderly nonviolent prisoners from prisons? >> we have been asked about that. and we'll take a look at it. it's a bit of a problem. but when we talk about totally nonviolent prisoners, we are actually looking at that, yes. >> reporter: thank you. i'll ask also your administration eliminated a key position in china in july, medical epidemiologist in china disease control agency. and just months when they were supported in wuhan. so basically why the post was eliminated? >> i could ask. anybody would you like to take that one, bob? this is just like all of the other stuff that you, not you, but that the press was asking, all of which turned out to be, we actually gave cdc more money,

not less money. they said we defunded. turned out it was more money. every one of those things that was said was 100% wrong. and this sounds like another one of them. but anyway go ahead. >> yeah, as you know, cdc has offices all around the world right now to do our function, to detect and prevent and respond to outbreaks where they occur. the china office is actually being augmented as we speak. and we have been there for over 30 years. reason there it's called the china cdc because we have had that partnership. >> our relationship with china is a very good relationship. i wish they told us three months sooner that this was a problem. we didn't know about it. they knew about it and they should have told us we could have saved a lot of lives throughout the world. if you look at what's happening in italy and spain and a lot of other countries, we could have saved a lot of lives throughout

the given the diagnosis for have for the threat to the senate and ability to get this important package that people are waiting for passed? and should americans be expecting you to extend the 15 days given the climate of how this is spreading at this point? >> i hope we won't have to. it's possible, but we'll have to see how that works. as far as the senate is concerned, we are looking at some, you know, some folks are feeling really good. some are quarantined, but they are negative. they may be totally fine. okay. others are positive. we are just finding this now for the first time. i mean over the last two days we found that. >> reporter: do you feel it as a threat to the aid package americans are waiting for? >> obviously, i don't see it as

any threat. i'm not worried. i don't know if you can do it constitutionally, but we are considering letting people vote, senators, congress men and women vote from a separate location, from outside, namely a lopt hos or home depending where they are. so we are looking at that. it's a little trickier question there. >> reporter: mr. president, speaking kelly was alluding to it, while we were up here, they weren't able to get the votes. just reaction to that, sir? and what is mitch mcconnell telling you and secretary mnuchin? >> we are dealing with them all the time. everyone wants to get there. we'll see what happens. i think you'll get there. to me, it's not very complicated. we have to help the worker. we have to save the companies. because as soon as we are finished with this war, it's not a battle, it's a war, as soon as

we are finished with this war, our country is going to bounce back like you've never seen before. but we have to get it to that position and make sure those companies are whole that they haven't been disbanded. because if you do that it's going to take much longer. in a way it's penny wise if you don't. but we want to help the worker and companies that the worker comes from, and that includes small businesses. we have a tremendous amount of small business work in there, you no he that. once they go out and don't come back, that's a much longer period of building. >> reporter: you mentioned off the top, there was a woman that was an american that was was she being tortured what was going on there? >> bad things were happening to her in a certain country and we are really under the feeling we should keep it somewhat private until. >> reporter: she's coming home? >> she's already been freed. and i have to tell you general

milli and his people were unbelievable. they were not playing games. general milli does not play games. he's a very interesting guy. they got her out. they got her out of a certain situation where she was seriously abused, a costed, and whatever the maximum word is, other than death, that happened. but we got her out. and she's okay. and she's back with her parents. >> reporter: can i ask you one last question. previous crisis like the , do yu have any consideration to reaching out? >> i think we are doing an extraordinary job. if you look in, let's say, the h1n1, you look at that whole, that was a disaster, that was a tough period of time for our country. you look at so many other things

that weren't handled so well, whether it's katrina or something else, look, i respect everybody, but i feel we have an incredible team and i feel we are doing an incredible job. when you look at the job we are doing, and all you have to do is look at the approval numbers, i think we are doing an incredible job. and i guess you can say there is probably a natural inclination not to call. now if i felt if i called i would learn something and that would save one life, it would save one life, okay, i would make the call in two minutes. but i don't see that happening. please. >> reporter: can i ask you about the comments a couple of your former aids have said today? cohen said it is time to see when the economy is back on? where bannon said we have to shut it all down. i want to ask about the tension economic gain we are suffering and of course the virus itself

and casualties and deaths from that. >> i'm of the opinion we have to do great during this 14 days, during the 15-day period. we'll know at the end of 14 days pretty much we'll have an idea how we aring do. i think you have to shut it down and see. but there is a point we have to say we are back in business and let's go. it's not mutually exclusive. i saw both of them today. >> reporter: shut down right now? >> he is calling for a fas brut then open up maybe a little faster. so, you know, there is that fine line. look, we did a big shut down when we wouldn't allow people from china that could have been very serious will i infected, that were, we cut europe off ve early, as you kn >> reporter: when do you start opening it back up? >> i can't tell you that. what i have to say is i think we'll have good results. i think the american people have been amazing. i think our stimulus package will get done.

and it will it be a tremendous package. we are really flnot, they may n have gotten those votes but very close to get ago deal done. i'd be surprised if they don't. and if they don't frankly the american people will be upset with the democrats. because the republicans are ready to approve a deal. so the only reason the deal couldn't get done is pure politics. yes. >> reporter: despite your differences with new york city m mayor de blasio, how do you prevent them from becoming the next italy? >> he should have things to go. this is beyond everyone thought possible. i think you can say this. no one can really say, oh, gee this will happen. this was a very unique, and hopefully it will be unique for many, many, many centuries, for

a long time, hopefully we don't see this again. but, again, the systems are supposed to be ready, willing and able. they are supposed to be ready to go. we are helping them a lot. and i have great love for new york city. and i have great love for new york state. and we are going to help them a lot. i was just saying we are sending our ships up there. sending more than just a ship. we may be using if we need it some of the cruise ships you've been reading about, we'll be using them also, because they are very median quick. they can be there quickly. we have good docking systems in the places we are talking about. so we may be using some. cruise liners we are talking about. but i think mayor de blasio is trying very hard. it's a tough decision for him and every mayor, because everyone has ever seen this scale. when you've given millions of

masks in a certain short period of time, then you hear they need many, many more. you know, one of the things they have started with respect to masks is the sterilization process. some are -- really some works very well, others don't work that way, you throw it out. but we have a sterilization process that's working very hard. speaking of that, hand sanitizer when you asked that questionen 0 the company's and what's going on, we have many companies now, companies that made whiskey, they made alcohol. they have now gone very quickly into the hand sanitizer business. and you've been reading about it. three or four big companies we are doing incredibly well on that. there is no way if you took existing companies something like that could happen. but it happens, i'll call peter navarro or somebody, in one case they called me, they said we can do this. we can do that. the we have had a lot of those calls where companies want to --

there is a company in new hampshire that want to make ventilators but they do make metal equipment, they'll be great. they'll make a great product. so peter i think you are seeing a lot of that. >> yes, sir. >> reporter: the bill that is being contemplated by the senate has a funds of hundreds of billions of dollars for the treasury department to use to bail out states and localities as well as specific that none of that tax money wil pers? >> for instance i committed publicly i wouldn't take the $450,000 salary, it's a lot of money, whether you are rich or not, and i did it, and nobody cared. nobody said thank you. nobody said thank you very much. now i didn't commit that, i just said i don't want t i don't want my salary. i work for zero. i don't want my salary. nobody said oh thank you very much. but i guarantee you if i ever took it, you would go out after me, you in particular, would go out after me like crazy.

so i have no idea what they are talking about with regard to the one element. everything is changing just so you understand it's all changing. but i have noed ide idea. i committed to do something. i ran and everybody knew i was a rich company. i built a big company. but i agreed to do things i don't have to. but my company i told the kids who are running it, i'm not