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COVID-19: Trump Still Hasn’t Pulled Trigger On Defense Production Act

Prez says the threat of company “nationalization” under the Defense Protection Act “sent tremors through our business community and through our country”

 
• By Shawn M. Schmitt

President Trump still hasn’t used the Defense Production Act to address US medical device shortages despite invoking the law on 18 March. The DPA gives the government broad authority to, among other things, push manufacturers to make particular products in a time of great national need. At a 22 March press conference, Trump said he’s leery of doing that because “the concept of nationalizing our businesses is not a good concept. If you go the nationalization route, we’re going to tell a company to make a ventilator – they don’t even know what a ventilator is.”

White House

Despite invoking the Defense Production Act four days ago to help the US in its efforts to tamp down the coronavirus pandemic, President Trump has not yet used the law to address critical medical supply shortages.

The DPA is a Korean War era law that gives the government broad authority to, among other things, order manufacturers to make particular products in a time of great national need

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