Trump is concerned that declaring an emergency would hamper his narrative that the coronavirus is similar to the seasonal flu.
President Donald Trump is reluctant to declare an expansive emergency to combat the escalating coronavirus outbreak, fearful of stoking panic with such a dramatic step, according to three people familiar with the situation.
Trump is walking a fine line as coronavirus cases in the U.S. sail past 1,000. As the president ramps up for a 2020 reelection campaign, he is trying to simultaneously signal calm to the American public, comfort businesses whose customers have disappeared amid self-isolation directives and ensure there‘s enough money to combat the still-new disease.
Trump has spent weeks trying to reassure the public about the outbreak, while the stock market shows daily declines not seen since the 2008 recession. HHS has taken the lead on the coronavirus response, making an agency-specific emergency declaration to unlock funding. The department declared a public health emergency in late January, allowing federal officials to tap money and other resources.Such a declaration, made under the Stafford Act, would allow federal officials to help with numerous virus-related issues — transportation, shelters, mobile hospitals, public safety.
Across the U.S., the coronavirus has now killed more than 30 people and health officials have warned that the situation will worsen. Elderly people and those with preexisting conditions have been the most likely to suffer serious consequences.
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