U.S President Donald Trump eased restrictions on exports of masks and other protective equipment needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic just days after their introduction as he confronted a backlash from allies around the world. Faced with domestic criticism of his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and cries of shortages from hospitals on the front lines, Trump late Friday had imposed a ban on exports of N95 masks, surgical gloves and other protective equipment.
But late Monday the president reversed course, saying the 3M Co., with which he had a public fight last week, had agreed to produce 55 million masks a month for U.S. health care workers and to import 167 million masks made by its facilities in China.
The company said it will be allowed to continue exporting some masks to Canada and Latin America from the U.S. The fate of exports to other parts of the world remained unclear.