PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP WILL NOT TOLERATE THE PRICE GOUGING AND HOARDING OF CRITICAL SUPPLIES NEEDED TO COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 23, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP WILL NOT TOLERATE THE PRICE GOUGING AND HOARDING OF CRITICAL SUPPLIES NEEDED TO COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS “Every American has a role to play in defending our Nation from this invisible, horrible enemy.” – President Donald J. Trump PREVENTING AND PUNISHING HOARDING AND FRAUD: President Trump is taking action to prevent the hoarding and price gouging of critical supplies needed to combat the coronavirus. President Trump is signing an Executive Order providing the authority to address, if necessary, hoarding that threatens the supply of necessary health and medical resources. This includes the action of hoarding unnecessary quantities of items for the purpose of selling them above the fair market value. This action is authorized under the Defense Production Act, which allows the President to prohibit the hoarding of needed resources. To implement the order, the President has delegated to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the authority to designate scarce resources or resources the supply of which would be threatened by hoarding. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will work with HHS to enforce the anti-hoarding provisions of the order in cases where hoarding may be impeding the supply of health and medical resources needed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, DOJ is prioritizing the detection, investigation, and prosecution of fraudulent activity and price gouging related to medical resources needed to respond to the coronavirus. PROTECTING CRITICAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES: This action will help ensure that hospitals, first-responders, and doctors receive sufficient supplies of critical medical equipment. President Trump is bringing to bear every resource, power, and authority necessary to defeat the coronavirus. Nationwide, our medical professionals and first responders are in need of critical medical equipment to fight the coronavirus. Hoarding and price gouging could threaten the supply of critical health and medical resources, such as personal protective equipment and sanitizing and disinfecting products. By limiting access to these critical resources, those who engage in hoarding and price gouging could put both our medical workers and the health of the American people at risk. All Americans must come together to help one another during this time and help combat the outbreak. SECURING VITAL RESOURCES: Today’s action builds on the extraordinary measures that the President has already taken to ensure that America has the resources it needs to fight the virus. President Trump and his Administration have taken extraordinary steps to help States, hospitals, frontline healthcare workers, and first responders procure the equipment they need. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending respirators, surgical masks, face shields, and gloves to places they are needed most. President Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act, giving HHS the authority to allocate critical resources. The Trump Administration has worked with major American manufacturers to massively increase production of certain medical supplies, such as ventilators and masks. The Administration has also partnered with the private sector to increase the speed and availability of diagnostic tests, implement new therapeutics, and find a vaccine.