President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he would activate the National Guard to assist Washington, California and New York, three of the states hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.

Those three states have been approved for major disaster declarations as of Sunday night. That status allows the federal government to provide supplies more seamlessly, he said.

Of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Trump said, "The relationship has really been amazing," adding that he believes the federal government should serve as "sort of a backup for the states."

"The ones that don't do as well need more help," he said, adding, "They are hit very hard."

He also pledged that victory over the coronavirus will happen "much sooner" than first expected.

The announcement Sunday evening came as governors clamored for more assistance from the federal government in combating COVID-19, which is expanding its reach across the U.S. and the world. Much of the U.S. is under some level of the economic shutdown.

States like New York and California have already activated their states' National Guards.

The president said that his administration would also "take a look at" releasing nonviolent elderly offenders from federal prison and that he is in favor of Congress' gaining the ability to vote remotely.

On the coronavirus stimulus package before Congress, Trump said he doesn't want corporations that receive "bailout" money to be allowed to engage in stock buybacks.

"I don't want to give a bailout to a company" that then goes and does stock buybacks, Trump said. "I may be Republican, but I don't like that."

He added that Democrats "are with me," so he "can't imagine that's too tough" to hammer out.

After a procedural vote on the legislation failed Sunday as Democrats said they couldn't support the bill, Trump said he would be surprised if a deal can't get done soon.

Trump also refused to commit to not taking taxpayer money in the package that would boost his own private hotels and resorts, which he hasn't divested from as president. Trump lamented not having gotten enough credit for forgoing his annual presidential salary of more than $400,000.

Trump said he doesn't plan to call former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton for advice or assistance because he has faith in the team around him and because he doesn't think he'd learn anything from his predecessors.

"I guess you could say there's a natural inclination not to call," he said, adding that if such a call would save a life, he'd do it "in a second."