Trump Says Feds Should Not Compete With States for Equipment

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said Friday he did not want the federal government to compete with states in bids for medical equipment as jurisdictions all scramble to find the necessary supplies to deal with the coronavirus.

“If there’s a conflict, they will call us and we will drop our bid,” the president said at the White House briefing.

On a teleconference call Thursday, governors told the president that after he suggested they seek their own medical supplies earlier in the week, suppliers had canceled orders with state governments for better bids from the federal government.

“I’ve got to tell you that on three good orders, we lost to the feds,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, told Trump. “I’ve got a feeling that if someone has the chance to sell to you and to sell to me, I am going to lose on every one of those.”

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also said her state had experienced canceled orders as well and prodded the president to have the federal government coordinate the national scramble to buy vital equipment.

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