WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US President Donald Trump slammed 3M Co in a tweet late on Thursday (April 2) after earlier announcing he was invoking the Defence Production Act to get the company to produce face masks.

"We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks. 'P Act' all the way.' Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing - will have a big price to pay!" Trump said on Twitter.

At a White House briefing on the coronavirus pandemic earlier on Thursday, Trump announced he had signed a Defense Production Act order for 3M to produce face masks. "Hopefully they'll be able to do what they are supposed to do," he said, without elaborating.

In a memo released by the White House, Trump directed the US Health and Human Services secretary to use his authority to help facilitate the supply of ventilator materials for six companies - General Electric, Hill-Rom Holdings, Medtronic, Resmed, Royal Philips and Vyaire Medical.

Lawmakers have clamoured for Trump to invoke the act to end or at least reduce the country's yawning shortage of ventilators.

Because the fast-spreading coronavirus is a respiratory disease, the need for ventilators is multiplying by the hundreds each day.

St. Paul, Minnesota-based 3M did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company's brands include Scotch, Post-It and Nexcare, as well as healthcare products for professionals.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said at the briefing, "We've had some issues making sure that all of the production that 3M does around the world, enough of it is coming back here to the right places."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president's tweet. N-95 face masks made by 3M and other companies are in short supply among healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients.

On Thursday, Johns Hopkins University said more than one million people around the world currently have the coronavirus.

State officials and health experts said the United States will ultimately need tens of thousands of additional ventilators.

"I am grateful to these and other domestic manufacturers for ramping up their production of ventilators during this difficult time," Trump said in a short statement released alongside the memo.

"Today's order will save lives by removing obstacles in the supply chain that threaten the rapid production of ventilators."

Last week, Trump first invoked the emergency powers to compel auto giant General Motors to produce ventilators.