Virginia governor says it’s ‘delusional’ for Trump to say states have testing capacity

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said Sunday that his state does not have the necessary coronavirus testing capacity, directly challenging comments made by President Trump the day before. 

“That’s just delusional to be making statements like that,” Northam said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about Trump’s comments that there is enough testing across the country. 

Northam said his state has been fighting “every day” for personal protective equipment and for testing. 

“It’s not a straightforward test. We don’t even have enough swabs, believe it or not,” Northam added. 

During a briefing Saturday, Trump said that “we have tremendous testing capacity.” He claimed that “some partisan voices are trying to politicize the issue of testing.” 

Trump also directly attacked Northam, who has signed a series of gun reform bills recently. 

“I would say liberate Virginia when that kind of thing happens,” Trump said at the briefing, referring to recent gun control measures signed into law by Northam. “I think it’s a very good analogy.”

In response to Trump’s criticism, Northam said on Sunday that it is not a time for “divisiveness.” 

“Our president has been unable to deliver on tests. Now he has chosen to focus on protests, and this is not the time for protests,” Northam said. “This is not the time for divisiveness. This is time for leadership that will stand up and provide empathy, that will understand what’s going on in this country of ours with this pandemic. It’s the time of truth, and it’s time to bring people together.”

Gov. Ralph Northam on President Trump’s call to “liberate” Virginia: “This is not the time for protests, this is not the time for divisiveness. This is time for leadership that will stand up and provide empathy … it’s the time for truth” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/jMhewJFVwH

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 19, 2020