Trump orders reserve units, ventilators for virus

US President Donald Trump says he has called up an unspecified number of federal reservists to help with the coronavirus response.

Speaking to reporters at the White House Friday for the daily coronavirus briefing, Trump said he has authorized Defense Secretary Mark Esper to order units and individual members of the Selected Reserve, as well as certain Individual Ready Reserve members, to active duty.

They are separate from, and in addition to, National Guard members who have been mobilized by state governors.

The reserve call-up likely is intended to fill gaps in medical expertise as the military deploys field hospitals to cities hard hit by COVID-19 and provides other forms of medical support to state and local authorities.

Trump also said he will press U.S. manufacturers to build 100,000 ventilators "pretty quickly" to meet the needs of American hospitals and medical providers around the world.

Trump's call for the building of more ventilators comes one day after he pushed back on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo cited medical experts' prediction that his state will need 30,000 to 40,000 ventilators when the coronavirus outbreak peaks there.

Trump said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday stressed the need for more ventilators in his country. Trump said he believes U.S. manufacturers are able to take care of American needs while also helping other countries.