President Donald Trump is expected to declare a national emergency to fight the spread of the coronavirus on Friday at the White House, according to reports.
The president will declare the emergency on Friday afternoon at a press conference in the Rose Garden at 3:00 p.m. EST.
Trump signaled that he would declare an emergency during his Oval Office speech on Wednesday evening.
“To ensure that working Americans impacted by the virus can stay home without fear of financial hardship, I will soon be taking emergency action, which is unprecedented, to provide financial relief,” he said, noting that the assistance would be offered to “workers who are ill, quarantined, or caring for others due to coronavirus.”
By declaring an emergency, the president will be empowered to spend tens of billions of dollars to assist Americans fighting the coronavirus crisis through executive authority.
Earlier in the day, the president met with officials from health industry companies including Walgreens, Target, Walmart, and CVS to discuss ways to increase coronavirus testing, which remains a focal point for criticism from state governors working to contain the virus.
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