Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump agree to double New York coronavirus testing
The two biggest egos in the pandemic fight, President Trump and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said Tuesday they plan to double the Empire State's testing capacity for the coronavirus, striking a partnership that can be replicated across the country. Published April 21, 2020
Andrew Cuomo, Donald Trump coronavirus talks ‘productive,’ governor says
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he had a "productive" conversation with President Trump on Tuesday as he pressed the administration to take a bigger role in coronavirus testing. Published April 21, 2020
FDA authorizes first mail-in test for COVID-19
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized the first COVID-19 test that allows Americans to collect a sample at home and mail it in. Published April 21, 2020
Larry Hogan: Things ‘went off the rails’ at WH presser after ‘great conversation’ with task force
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday said he was left a bit puzzled after President Trump lobbed criticisms at him a day earlier, saying he was heeding Mr. Trump's call for states to take on coronavirus testing by procuring 500,000 tests from South Korea. Published April 21, 2020
Larry Hogan, Maryland governor, says South Korea sent 500K coronavirus tests
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan took to heart President Trump's call for states to step up in the coronavirus fight, announcing Monday he'd spent three weeks procuring a half-million tests from a South Korean company. Published April 20, 2020
Rep. Frank Pallone to White House: Where’s the national testing strategy?
A senior House Democrat told the White House on Monday it risks "sharp increases in new infections and deaths" unless it develops a national plan to test for the coronavirus and antibodies in previously infected persons. Published April 20, 2020
Trump plays Andrew Cuomo clip praising feds as ‘great partner’
As the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 40,000, President Trump on Sunday played a video clip of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praising the federal government as a "great partner" in treating the coronavirus and ensuring his hard-hit state had enough capacity to handle a surge in hospital needs. Published April 19, 2020
Steven Mnuchin: Putting Trump name on stimulus checks was my idea
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday it was his idea to put President Trump's names on the stimulus checks going out to many Americans as part of the coronavirus-relief package. Published April 19, 2020
Andrew Cuomo: New York past coronavirus ‘apex’
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday said the rate of coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline, signaling his state is "past the apex" of the brutal outbreak. Published April 19, 2020
Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan governor: Feds need to help with coronavirus testing supplies
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Sunday said her state has the capacity to double or triple the number of coronavirus tests it performs but it needs federal help in acquiring supplies that support the task. Published April 19, 2020
Steven Mnuchin: ‘Very close’ on coronavirus relief deal
President Trump and top Democrats on Sunday said they are "very close" to striking a deal that offers another tranche of coronavirus relief funding to small businesses while extending money to hospitals. Published April 19, 2020
Mike Pence: Donald Trump ‘not happy’ with China, seeking ‘proper time’ to respond
President Trump said Sunday that he is "not happy" with China over the communist nation's early fumbles in disclosing the novel coronavirus, as the U.S. government and intelligence agencies investigate the origins of the virus and whether Beijing initially concealed information about the outbreak. Published April 19, 2020
Trump: China must have most COVID-19 deaths
President Trump on Friday insisted that China must have the most coronavirus deaths in the world given its size and the fact the pathogen sprung from one of its major cities at the end of last year. Published April 17, 2020
Trump announces $19B in COVID-19 aid for farmers
President Trump announced a $19 billion program on Friday to help farmers battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Published April 17, 2020
Former CDC chief outlines a four-step path to boxing in coronavirus
Reopening the country will require a four-step system to test for the coronavirus, isolate infections, trace contacts of the sick and quarantine those contacts for 14 days to ensure they're not carriers, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Published April 17, 2020
Coronavirus hot spot flareups spread economic-shutdown debate
Some places are peaking before others, with the flare-up in South Dakota reviving the type of economic-shutdown debate that unfolded weeks ago in places like hard-hit New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo slowly "closed the valve" by shuttering businesses on a rolling basis through March. Published April 16, 2020
Donald Trump: Sports to begin again without fans
President Trump said major sports leagues will phase in over the coming weeks or months, starting with games played behind closed doors as the U.S. figures out how to resume its pastimes safely in the age of the coronavirus. Published April 16, 2020
Trump defends WHO funding cut
President Trump continued his attack on the World Health Organization late Wednesday, saying their main fault was advising against travel bans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Published April 15, 2020
Abbott Laboratories announces immunity test for COVID-19
An Illinois company that has played an outsized role in coronavirus testing said Wednesday it has created an antibody test and will ship nearly 1 million units to U.S. customers before the end of the week, adding its muscle to a piece of the response that is deemed critical but still a work in progress. Published April 15, 2020
Trump move to pause WHO funding is not legal: Dem aide
President Trump's move to temporarily suspend U.S. payments to the World Health organization is not legal, according to a top aide for Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee. Published April 15, 2020
