NEW: Joe Biden calls on Pres. Trump to exercise Defense Production Act powers 'now.' 'We need more ventilators, protective equipment, and critical supplies. We need action, not words.'
President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at the White House, March 18, 2020, in Washington.
Later, Trump was asked if he has reason to disbelieve China, which reported Thursday that for the first time no new cases had emerged in the last 24-hour period in the hard-hit city of Wuhan. "It would have been much better if we had known about this a number of months earlier. It would have been contained that one area in China where it started.
President Donald Trump speaks speaks on the latest developments of the coronavirus outbreak, while flanked by U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, March 19, 2020 in Washington, With Americans testing positive for the coronavirus rising, President Trump is asking Congress for $1 trillion aid package to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic."More help is on the way as we speak, he said, referring to the economic damage the crisis has caused.
Trump said the FDA is authorizing the use of a drug called Chloroquine to treat the symptoms of COVID-19. It's also used to treat symptoms of malaria and arthritis. Expected to be one of the largest emergency spending packages in American history, the $1 trillion “phase three” that the White House and Republicans are proposing breaks down to: $500 billion for two rounds of $250 billion of direct payments for Americans to go out around April 6 and May 18; $300 billion to help small businesses meet payroll; $50 billion for the airlines; and $150 billion for loans and loan guarantees for other parts of the economy.
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