The states are like self-governing countries, that don't want to work with the federal govt except for funding money?
No.
The states begged the feds to coordinate acquisition of protective gear. The feds said nope, not their thing.
That's one example and it hurt us badly.
The feds threatened to withhold funding from schools that did not do as Trump wanted, despite the president's
claim that he was going to let states handle their own situations.
That's another. There are many.