New York Governor Calls Donald Trump Benefits Executive Order 'Laughable'

Business Standard New York governor calls Donald Trump benefits executive order 'laughable'

Andrew Cuomo dismissed Trump's executive orders as laughable" and another chapter in the federal government's botched response to the coronavirus.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday dismissed President Donald Trump's executive orders as laughable" and another chapter in the federal government's botched response to the coronavirus as he praised New Yorkers for mostly good behavior that has reduced the infection rate in his state.

The Democrat was particularly critical of Trump's Saturday announcement that states must pay part of USD 400 weekly unemployment insurance benefits. He told a telephone news conference that Trump's plan would likely cost New York state USD 4 billion.

The concept of saying to states, you pay 25 percent of the insurance, is just laughable," Cuomo said.

It's just an impossibility. So none of this is real on the federal side. This is going to have to be resolved."

He said he didn't know if Trump was genuine in thinking the executive order is a resolution or if this is just a tactic in the negotiation. But this is irreconcilable for the state.

And I expect this is just a chapter in the book of Washington COVID mismanagement.

Meanwhile, Cuomo praised New Yorkers for driving down the rate of infections in the state so low that only .78 per cent of 65,812 tests performed Saturday came back positive.

He said the 131 individuals in intensive care units also represented the lowest number since the early days of the health crisis.