WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is announcing that he is declaring the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.
He is speaking to the American people from the Rose Garden as Washington struggles with providing Americans with relief and officials race to slow the spread of outbreak.
Trump says the emergency will open up nearly $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak.
Negotiations continue between the White House and Congress on an aid package, but there was no announcement of a breakthrough, as House Democrats prepare to vote on their own measure Friday.
President Trump: “Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this. Again, we don’t want everybody taking this test. It’s totally unnecessary. This will pass.”
Full video here: https://t.co/bTZ8eza3pA pic.twitter.com/8ayZUzWP8V
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 13, 2020
