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Whitmer once again blasts Trump administration's COVID-19 response: 'We desperately need better'

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer once again blasted President Donald Trump and his administration for their handling of the COVID-19 response.

Related: Gov. Whitmer: If COVID-19 cases continue rising, we could take steps backward

Speaking to CNN on Wednesday night, Whitmer talked about the increasing COVID-19 cases in Michigan, saying the White House didn't have a national strategy.

"The virus is the enemy," she said. "All they've spent their energy on is turning the American people against one another, and we deserve better and desperately need better."

This is the latest in the ongoing back-and-forth between Trump and Whitmer. The president has blasted Whitmer, falsely saying that Michigan is locked up like a prison.

On Wednesday night, Whitmer even spoke about the president and several members of his inner circle getting COVID-19.

"You would think than an administration that has succumb to the very virus that is killing people across the nation, and depriving us of jobs and opportunity, would take this a little more seriously and have a bit of empathy," she said.

Whitmer also added that she thought the death of Herman Cain would make the administration take it seriously.

She also hit Trump on his rallies, several of which have been held in Michigan over the past weeks, as people are gathering close together with some not wearing masks.

"They are screaming and shouting," she said. "That's how COVID-19 spreads. They're contributing to the crisis that's ravaging this country."

01 - 14covid numbers are increasing - the pain that we are feeling economically is worse than it could have been or should have been had the white house ever had a national strategy, had they ever leveled with the american people

22 - 29
the virus is the enemy. all they've spent their energy on is turning the american people against one another. and we deserve and definitely need better

55 - 1:17
you would think that an administration that has succumb to the very virus that is killing people across the nation and depriving us of jobs and opportunity would take this a little more seriously and have a little bit of empathy. I thought perhaps with the passing of herman cain maybe they would understand the incredible heartache that is playing out across the country

1:23 - 1:52
I have lost a number of people to covid-19. it's a devastating, cruel illness that is still a very real threat all across the country. our numbers are rising and they're (the white house) contributed to the spread. we have done contact tracing, seen that bare out, people show up and they're packing in and they don't even wear masks. they are screaming and shouting. that's how covid-19 spreads. they're contributing to the crisis that's ravaging this country

2:23 - 2:44
we are working incredibly hard to make sure that we get every vote counted. and we may not have a count on election night, and I want to warn everyone in media that's a very real possibility ... we are going to keep people safe and we are going to make sure everyone's vote gets counted and michigan reports an accurate count

2:45 - 3:08
on the first part of your question, I mean, for the trump administration, for the president himself and his surrogates to come into this state and incite and encourage anyone who is a domestic terrorist or has ideas of hurting their fellow Americans is cruel and it is unusual, it is not normal. words matter and we deserve better as a nation