Trump Criticizes Maryland Governor Who Purchased Korean Diagnostic Kits as "Waste of Money"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Donald Trump, President of the United States, strongly criticized Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, who purchased diagnostic kits necessary for testing the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) from Korea, saying that if he had followed the federal government's measures, costs could have been saved.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Maryland's largest daily newspaper, on the 20th (local time), President Trump said at a White House COVID-19 Task Force (TF) press conference that Governor Hogan "does not fully understand" the federal government's testing capacity and that "(he) needs more information."

Trump's remarks came after Hogan announced that he had procured diagnostic kits capable of 500,000 tests from Korea that day. Hogan shared a photo on Twitter taken in front of a Korean Air plane that flew in from Korea carrying the COVID-19 diagnostic kits. His wife, Yumi Hogan (Korean name Kim Yumi), a Korean immigrant, was also present. It was reported that Yumi Hogan played a key role, including making direct phone calls to procure the diagnostic kits from Korea.

Reporters at the press conference asked a flood of questions such as, "You said the U.S. has sufficient testing capacity, so why did the Maryland governor bring kits from Korea?" Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services, replied, "I don't know what the Maryland governor is doing in Korea. However, (the U.S.) has excess testing capacity every day," and Vice President Mike Pence emphasized, "We will look into it. I do not know when the order was placed in Korea, and I will not be jealous of the medical officials," stressing that the federal government is also making its best efforts, including opening testing facilities.

President Trump said, "I think he (Governor Hogan) did not need to go to Korea," adding, "I think he needs more information. Maybe that will help."

In response, Hogan appeared on CNN and said, "I don't really know what the president is referring to," adding, "I have a pretty good understanding of what is happening, and I appreciated the information provided by his team." He avoided escalating the conflict, saying he did not want to exchange criticisms.

Although Hogan is a member of the Republican Party like President Trump, they have repeatedly clashed over the COVID-19 situation. Earlier, President Trump criticized, saying that the federal government provided a list of 5,000 laboratories for additional COVID-19 testing to state governments, and "some governors, like the Maryland governor, really did not understand the list. He did not fully understand what was happening."

As chairman of the National Governors Association, Hogan appeared on a broadcast on the 19th and strongly refuted President Trump's remarks that the U.S. has sufficient testing capacity and that governors are not properly fulfilling their duties, calling them "absolute lies."