Trump lauds Indian-American scientists, researchers; says sending lot of ventilators to India

By Team Newsable | First Published May 16, 2020, 11:24 AM IST

"I am proud to announce that the United States will donate ventilators to our friends in India. We stand with India and Narendra Modi during this pandemic. We're also cooperating on vaccine development. Together we will beat the invisible enemy!" Trump wrote on his official Twitter account.

Washington DC: The United States on Friday said that it is sending many ventilators to India to help the country combat the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday.

"We are sending quite a lot of ventilators to India. I spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and we are sending quite a few ventilators to India. We have a tremendous supply of ventilators," Trump said at the White House.

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Meanwhile, Trump has lauded Indian-American scientists and researchers for their efforts in developing medicines and vaccines to treat the deadly coronavirus.

Trump said the US was closely working with India to tackle the pandemic.

"We have a tremendous Indian population in the United States and many of the people that you are talking about are working on the vaccine too. Great scientists and researchers," Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden of the White House on Friday.

He was responding to the Indian-American community's appreciation of his fight against the coronavirus. This is the first time that a president has recognised the scientific and research talent of the Indian-American community.

A large number of scientists are engaged in cutting edge research in various aspects of medical science, including at the National Institute of Health, universities, research institutes and bio-pharma startups.

There are an estimated 4 million Indian-Americans in the United States, of which about 2.5 million are potential voters in the 2020 presidential elections this November.

As a presidential candidate, Trump was the first nominee to hold a separate election rally for Indian-Americans in October 2016 in New Jersey.
Since then he has described himself as the best friend of India and Indian-Americans at the White House.

According to the co-chair of Trump Victory Indian-American Finance Committee, Al Masson, the president is not just a sensitive guardian to his 325 million fellow Americans, he is also their resolute and humanitarian commander-in-chief.

"He has brought forth his true empathy and determination- blended with just the right solutions to fight this "Made in China" coronavirus pandemic. His mission is to save American lives and revive the American economy. By doing whatever it takes," Mason said on Friday.

“Trump is unbeatable. His critics and enemies should leave him alone. They should let him focus on fighting for all Americans against the invisible coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding the economy. He is a master at whatever he builds and he believes in the power of prayer,” said Mason.

Senior advisor to Donald J Trump for President, Inc. and national chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee Kimberly Guilfoyle, in a recent op-ed in The Daily Caller, said Trump has the American people on his side.

“At this point, Team Trump has raised over $742 million with over $255 million cash on hand. Since the transition to a virtual national campaign, Trump Victory, in coordination with the Republican National Convention, has made over 20 million voter contacts and added more than 300,000 new volunteers, bringing the total to 1 million volunteers trained and activated,” Guilfoyle wrote.

The amount raised by Indian-Americans for Trump's campaign is not available as of now.

The US recorded 1,680 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing its grim total to 87,493, according to the latest real-time tally Friday reported by Johns Hopkins University.

The country hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of the number of fatalities, has now confirmed a total of 1,442,924 cases, the Baltimore-based school reported.

With PTI Inputs

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