Do you think what US did was a piracy act? If yes, was it justifiable?

Question

I've been mostly lurking these past few days but the post about US not exporting medical supplies came to my attention, and it brought to my mind these news that also happened a few days ago. It came in my country's national media because some of the supplies we had ordered got cancelled to US, and after researching through international media I found out some European countries are also having this problem.
---------------------
The US has been accused of “modern piracy” after reportedly diverting a shipment of masks intended for the German police, and outbidding other countries in the increasingly fraught global market for coronavirus protective equipment.
About 200,000 N95 masks were diverted to the US as they were being transferred between planes in Thailand, according to the Berlin authorities who said they had ordered the masks for the police force.
Valérie Pécresse, the influential president of the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, described the race to get masks as a “treasure hunt”.
“I found a stock of masks that was available and Americans – I’m not talking about the American government – but Americans, outbid us,” Pécresse said. “They offered three times the price and they proposed to pay upfront. I can’t do that. I’m spending taxpayers’ money and I can only pay on delivery having checked the quality,” she told BFMTV. “So we were caught out.”
________
A German official has accused the US of “modern piracy,” calling the country’s efforts to obtain PPE overly aggressive, and officials in Brazil, Spain, and Canada have expressed a frustration shared by numerous US governors — that the Trump administration is aggressively outbidding them, leaving them unable to buy badly needed PPE.
These complaints come as Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) — which allows the federal government to dictate the production and delivery schedules of private companies — Friday in order to prevent the export of protective medical gear overseas. In response, Canadian and German leaders have expressed dismay, but say they will not formally retaliate against the United States
Bonus question: how do you think this will impact US relationship with it's allies?
Some sources, including from my country

Accepted Answer

The fact that most of these orders were already on route definitely makes this shit wrong. The US could have slowed the virus and not overwhelmed their systems had their president and citizens taken this seriously a lot sooner. Stepping in and over bidding to take PPE away from other countries is wrong. And honestly,  canada provides key components of the N95 masks. There are already talks about canada not sending nurses to help with the outbreak over in the US. Cooperation is necessary and if canada decides to stop exporting the pulp used in these masks and gowns the US is going to be scrambling trying to find anyone that'll work with them.

Answer

Yes, and not justifiable. People shouting that we need to take care of our own fail to recognize the complexity of the global market, and how moves like this will bite us in the ass later. 
The federal government is not only doing this to other countries but to state governments as well. They’re simultaneously telling us to get our own damn supplies while outbidding us in the marketplace. 
There was a nearly unbelievable story in the local press over the weekend about the  assistant comptroller having to meet with a supplier in a McDonald’s parking lot like a damn drug deal.

Answer

Given a lot of these orders were bought and paid for by the governments that the US stole them from (Canada being one country) it is theft plain and fucking simple. 
That shipment that Americans so lovingly stole from Canada was the first shipment the hospital I am on standby for would have had in a month. If the military base hadn’t stepped up and donated supplies that hospital that serves 200k (give or take) would have had to shut down. 
At that hospital the states are now known as “United States of Assholes” 
This was greed driven, the fact you’d fuck your allies like this, don’t be surprised when your allies fuck you over right back.

Answer

As others were saying on the other post, do we not give aid to the worse off place/country at a time of crisis? The US has 200,000+ more cases than any other country right now, would that not categorize as us as the 'most in need' in the current predicament?

Answer

No. Overly aggressive sure but he paid for them he didnt steal them

Answer

I am so sick of reading this. We aren’t government officials and we aren’t in any place of power. It’s not like our opinions matter. Leaders are always going to do what they want, regardless of how citizens feel.

Answer

Definitely scammy... sure they paid for them but other countries that are suffering were counting on these supplies... super sad on how the US is treating this.. instead of getting prepared back in January when officials brought this to the administration as alarming they brushed it under the rough and didnt prepare at all.. now they are doing damage control at other countries expense... criminal in my eyes

Answer

I think it’s the wrong thing to do. Yes we have an immediate need, but we also will have needs in a month, in 3 months. And so we need to act cooperatively if we want to see other countries send things that we need to us as well. We don’t make enough of our own products to be able to behave this way.

Answer

He didn't steal them. Its called he had and made a higher bid and paid more for them than canada was willing to. Thats how business works. Whoevers willing to pay more gets them first.

Answer

I see some people saying it's business and he simply offered more money, but if I'm reading this correctly that's not really the case tight? It's not 'just' about the amount, it's also about paying up front and in cash which some countries simply aren't able to do (and thus they couldn't beat at least that part of the offer even if they were interested in a bidding war, which I personally don't think they should be because you may not want to spend ALL your money in the first months and watch everyone die when you're broke later on, but what do I know)
What I'm wondering though is isn't it also partly the fault of the companies that sell the protective gear? What the US is doing is shady at best, but promising your gear to one country than last minute selling it to another isn't exactly model behaviour either 🤷🏻‍♀️

Do you think what US did was a piracy act? If yes, was it justifiable?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey