President Trump To Declare National Emergency Over Coronavirus
President Donald Trump reportedly will declare a national emergency on Friday afternoon, invoking the Stafford Act, which will release more federal funds to be distributed to states and municipalities to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Bloomberg reported, according to “two people familiar with the matter,” that Trump will make the announcement during a 3 p.m. EST news conference from the White House.
Trump tweeted about a coronavirus news conference Friday morning.
I will be having a news conference today at 3:00 P.M., The White House. Topic: CoronaVirus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
During a Friday phone call, President Trump and all G7 country leaders agreed to organize a video conference on Monday to “coordinate research efforts on a vaccine and treatments, and work on an economic and financial response,” according to a tweet from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Following my call with @realDonaldTrump and all G7 leaders, we agreed to organize an extraordinary Leaders Summit by videoconference on Monday on Covid-19. We will coordinate research efforts on a vaccine and treatments, and work on an economic and financial response.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 13, 2020
Stocks rebounded on Friday morning following the worst trading day since the October crash of 1987.
Stocks set to surge following worst day since 1987 Black Monday crash, S&P 500 futures hit ‘limit up’ https://t.co/zGZAShmR4t pic.twitter.com/UYUKYvKVr3
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) March 13, 2020
Trump’s reported plan to declare a national emergency comes as Congress and his administration work to move legislation to address the economic impacts of the coronavirus.
Trump to declare national emergency via the Stafford Act over coronavirus at his 3pm presser
Sources tell me, @JenniferJJacobs and @jendeben
— Saleha Mohsin (@SalehaMohsin) March 13, 2020
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are resisting Trump’s calls for a temporary payroll tax cut.
“If you want to get money into the hands of people quickly & efficiently, let them have the full money that they earned, APPROVE A PAYROLL TAX CUT until the end of the year, December 31,” Trump tweeted.
“Then you are doing something that is really meaningful. Only that will make a big difference!” he added.
If you want to get money into the hands of people quickly & efficiently, let them have the full money that they earned, APPROVE A PAYROLL TAX CUT until the end of the year, December 31. Then you are doing something that is really meaningful. Only that will make a big difference!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Coronavirus response legislation proposed by Pelosi includes free coronavirus testing; paid emergency leave (with 14 days paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave); “enhanced unemployment insurance” benefits; expansion of the food stamps program; and increased funding to Medicaid.
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