'Dereliction of duty': Senate Democrats blow up at Pence over lack of COVID-19 tests on conference call

On Friday, Washington Post White House reporter Seung Min Kim revealed that Senate Democrats grew angry with Vice President Mike Pence on a conference call about the coronavirus pandemic.

Senators demanded to know why COVID-19 testing capabilities were still inconsistent around the country — and were not satisfied by Pence's answers.

The Trump administration was slow to provide support for testing. When the crisis worsened, President Donald Trump promised there would be pop-up testing facilities in the parking lots of several nationwide big-box store chains. Very few of these facilities were created, however, and the administration ultimately ended federal funding for the efforts. Trump now claims it is "ridiculous" to have expected the federal government to do such a thing.