Many of them were also buying stuff to send to family members in China because they were running out of supplies there. But don't worry, China returned the favor when we were the ones running out of supplies when their virus came here:
A Million N95 Masks Are Coming From China—on Board the New England Patriots’ Plane
No, China did not return the favor, at least in this case. Instead, as the caption of the picture tells you -- these are masks Massachusetts purchased. If you
really look at this case, this is one of those things that Trump does tend to be criticized for -- Massachusetts was getting desperate because they'd make a deal to buy equipment only to have the Federal government come in and outbid them after Massachusetts had struck a deal. This is the real reason the Patriot's plane was needed -- so they could take possession of the masks so they could no be outbid, and the masks rerouted.
In fact, I should thank you as you further support my case that Trump should have started stockpiling masks back in February -- as that is about when Massachusetts started trying to get masks.
Are you serious??? Is there anything Trump hasn't already been criticized for? If he had started stockpiling--anything--the headlines would be, "Trump wastes taxpayer dollars buying paper masks. Pelosi calls for investigation into whether or not Trump has secret deal with surgical mask company".
Have we seen anything other than that so far?
Let me give you a great example of why I am sure the criticism would have been minor. Trump built up a huge Federal stockpile of hydroxychloroquine, buying (from what I can find) over 30 million doses and had several more million doses donated. In fact, this is something that seems like it could have been criticized, as it led to a shortage for people who take the drug to help with their diseases, such as lupus.
Now, while I can recall plenty of criticism directed at Trump for trying to promote a drug that was not proven or tested to treat COVID-19, I can't find any real criticism for Trump building such a large national stockpile. Most agreed, including Democrats, that the drug should be tested since it appeared that maybe it would help -- based on some early, initial findings. Again, the criticism was of Trump pushing the drug based on those very early results; which have not been verified, testing has shown, so far, that hydroxychloroquine is not effective against COVID-19.
Trump, despite Republican's "persecution complex," would not have been criticized for trying to build a stockpile of masks and generators in February. This is particularly true since those who you likely would claim would do the criticizing were often working to help states get the masks and ventilators they felt they needed (such as NY and Massachusetts; thanks for helping to prove that point).
And even if he would have been criticized, that is something a good and strong leader doesn't care about -- when it is the right thing to do (as it was in this case). The criticism I can find is mine -- and not for building the stockpile but for not starting to release the stockpile to people who need the drug for its proven benefits, that can't get it because it is still in short supply because of the government stockpiling the drug.
