CBS News projected on Friday that President-elect Biden will win Georgia and President Trump will win North Carolina, the final two states left to be called. With those two states, Mr. Biden is set to receive 306 Electoral College votes to Mr. Trump’s 232.
Mr. Trump made his first public appearance on Friday since Mr. Biden was projected the winner of the election. Mr. Trump spoke to reporters in the Rose Garden about Operation Warp Speed, the plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.
Although Mr. Trump has castigated Pfizer for announcing its vaccine progress after the election, he said Friday that New York would not be getting access to the potential vaccine at the same time as the general public for “political reasons” due to the state’s restrictions.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that New York would create an independent panel of scientists and health experts to review any FDA-approved coronavirus vaccine before distribution. There are several other states that have called for the same measures, but Mr. Trump signaled out New York — and Cuomo — on Friday.
“The governor will let us know when he’s ready,” Mr. Trump said at the Rose Garden press conference. “He’s had some very bad editorials recently.”
As the daily number of COVID-19 cases continue to reach record levels every day, Mr. Trump said Friday that he does not support a lockdown.
“Hopefully, whatever happens in the future, whatever administration it will be — only time will tell — I can tell you this administration won’t go to a lockdown,” he said, an implicit acknowledgment that it soon might not be his call.
