Infuriated Gary Sinise has message for 3M about putting America first: ‘What happened to, we’re all in this together?’

Screengrab YouTube, Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Actor Gary Sinise has a stellar record when it comes to looking out for veterans. So much so that his name is almost synonymous with the care of those who’ve served their nation.

In the face of the pandemic brought on by the Chinese virus COVID-19, Sinise took advantage of the platform his advocacy has provided to stand up for Americans as a whole on Friday, appealing directly to manufacturing giant 3M, one of the largest suppliers of desperately needed N95 respiratory masks.

“Florida emergency management official says 3M selling masks to foreign countries,” Sinise said in a tweet. “I usually don’t post on things like this, but Hey 3M! This is infuriating! American companies need to be part of the solution. What happened to, ‘We’re all in this together’?”

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz appeared on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” last week and claimed 3M has been selling N95 masks to foreign nations for bigger cash profits.

On Thursday, the Trump administration invoked the Defense Production Act, which compels 3M to prioritize orders for N95 respirator masks for the U.S. government’s national stockpile.

The national stockpile was depleted in 2009 under the Obama administration and never replenished.

3M responded to say it “will continue to maximize the amount of respirators we can produce on behalf of U.S. healthcare workers, as we have every single day since this crisis began.

At the same time, the company pushed back on a White House request that it cease exporting respirators to Canada and Latin America.

“There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators,” 3M said in a statement.

Sinise followed up on his tweet to beseech 3M to put the lives of American health care providers first, who go “into the belly of the beast” daily to care for others, and not to supply other countries at their expense.

“Point being, when American Health Care providers & workers need masks so desperately & they seek 2 purchase them, please 3M, make sure you have not sold them all 2 other countries and Spread them around. R folks need these so they can help our citizens,” the actor tweeted.

“Final comment: I have no problem with 3M selling 2 R friends in Canada & other countries, they need also, I just have a problem when 3M has done so at the expense of being able 2 provide masks to US healthcare workers who day in day out into the belly of the beast at their own risk,” he added.

There was an effort by some in the media to suggest that US-based 3M is dependent on Canada for the raw materials needed to make the masks.

There were also reports of a shipment of masks intended for police in Germany being diverted to the US — 3M disputed the claim, noting online that respirator mask sold in Germany are made in Europe.

The notion of America first has been a Trump trademark, and the media has never been on board with the campaign.

Here’s a quick sampling of responses to Sinise from Twitter:

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