President Donald Trump told Americans Sunday to stop hoarding food purchased in grocery stores and to “relax, because there’s plenty.”
The White House coronavirus task force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, had another news conference to update the national media on the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic. But Trump came out first to announce that he just had a conference call with most of the CEOs of America’s leading food retailers.
“There is no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies,” he said.
“You don’t have to buy so much. Take it easy. People are going in and buying more … than they buy at Christmas,” the president said. “Relax. We’re doing great. It all will pass.” (RELATED: US Surgeon General Tells Media To Stop Sniping At Trump Over Coronavirus: ‘No More Bickering … Or Finger Pointing)
Trump said the food retailers told him that the supply chain is intact and they have promised to “meet the needs of the public” as they work “around the clock” to keep stores replenished with necessities.
“But again, they asked me to say, ‘can you buy a little less, please?’ I thought I would never hear that from a retailer,” the president said.
Trump said the retailers “are committed to remaining open during this crisis” and they can do so because “our supply chains in America are the most powerful in the world.”
“The stores are stocking up at a level beyond Christmas time. And it’s great. It was very reassuring, speaking to these people. They have it totally in hand. There is no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies.” (RELATED: Journalists Spread Fake News About Coronavirus And Trump … Again)
President Donald Trump speaks in the press briefing room at the White House on March 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The president said that retailers asked him to reassure Americans that they have the situation in hand. “They said to me, please tell them to go buy, enjoy it, have a nice dinner, relax, because there’s plenty. You don’t have to buy the quantities, because it is hard to refill the stores on a basis as rapid as they are refilling them.”
Trump announced last Wednesday a 90-day ban on travel for visitors from continental Europe. He extended that ban to visits from the United Kingdom and Ireland on Saturday.