WASHINGTON: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's administration wants to make sure coronavirus testing is funded, after Trump's fellow Republicans said the White House is blocking funding for tests considered key to containing the reach of the deadly pandemic.

"We want to make sure there's plenty of money for testing. And that's a big priority," Mnuchin told reporters during a visit to Capitol Hill for negotiations on a coronavirus relief bill, adding that he had very productive meetings with appropriations committee members between last night and early today.