NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo should have made better use of military hospitals set up at the Javits Center and on the USNS Comfort as COVID-19 cases spiked in April, President Donald Trump said Tuesday, according to a report.
Addressing a group of young Republicans in Arizona, Trump claimed New York state “didn’t use” either hospital, the New York Post reported.
“(Cuomo) wanted a hospital built in the Javits convention center. We built it, but he didn’t use it,” Trump said. “He could have used (it) for the older people. It was brand new, not infected, no infection.”
“Then he wanted the boat,” he went on to say. “And it came up. He could have used (it) for senior citizens. They didn’t use it. And it’s a shame.”
New York did use both facilities to treat COVID-19 patients — the Comfort treated around 182 patients, and the Javits Center treated around 1,100 patients — but did not use them “to capacity,” the Post reported.
The USNS Comfort left New York City on April 30, and the Javits Center hospital closed a day later.
Cuomo’s office didn’t immediately respond to request for comment on Trump's remarks.