Trump says 100 ventilators coming to Colorado
President Donald Trump announced via Twitter on Wednesday morning that the federal government will be sending 100 ventilators to Colorado.
The state has estimated as many as 10,000 ventilators might be needed, and Gov. Jared Polis said Saturday the state was set to purchase 500 before the Federal Emergency Management Administration swooped in and bought them first.
“Well, you’re not really going to get my read on it, because I’m not here to do political analysis,” Polis said when asked about the announcement at a news conference Wednesday. “I’m here to celebrate any ventilators that arrive in our state, and of course we’re grateful for 100 ventilators.”
Trump tweeted that the federal government will be sending the 100 ventilators to Colorado “at the request of Senator (Cory) Gardner.” The Republican president and Republican senator from Yuma have grown close in recent months.
“I have been working with the state to get ventilators from FEMA,” Gardner told a constituent during a telephone town hall meeting Tuesday. The woman had asked why the federal government bought 500 ventilators out from under Colorado and what Gardner was doing to stop it.
“I talked to the vice president, the president as well, about this need and we’re going to continue to fight each and every moment for Colorado,” Gardner said.
Last week, Denver hospitals said they had enough ventilators to care for current patients but that the situation could change quickly if the city sees a surge of coronavirus sufferers. The hospitals have worked to increase ventilator supplies.
Colorado Republicans praised Trump’s announcement Wednesday and gave credit to Gardner for accomplishing it. Democrats accused Trump of partisan favoritism toward Gardner and said the federal government must send more.
“It’s a racket. This is literally racketeering,” said state Sen. Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge. “The White House is keeping 80% of the ventilators they stole from Colorado — and bestowing 20% of what they stole as a political favor.”