Trump news: President declares national emergency over coronavirus and calls on hospitals to activate emergency plans
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has declared a national emergency while under intense pressure from Democrats and health officials over his administration's handling of the global coronavirus pandemic, as his approval ratings fall and the stock market has plunged throughout the week.
Flanked by business executives and top health officials in his administration, the market saw an uptick as the president outlined plans for a federal response to the outbreak.
House Democrats also announced they had reached a deal with the administration to provide free testing to patients, including uninsured people, as well as paid sick leave, which Democrats and presidential candidates have urged the White House consider as workers brace for impact.
The global death toll surpassed 5,000 on Friday, with new confirmed cases of Covid-19 surging in the US and throughout Europe.
Louisiana announced it was delaying its state primaries due to the pandemic, as countless campaign events were cancelled and candidate like Bernie Sanders said their bids for the presidency had been “radically changed” due to the outbreak.
Meanwhile, South Carolina GOP senator and Trump ally Lindsey Graham has announced he is going into self-quarantine after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who has since tested positive for Covid-19 at Trump’s Florida resort Mar-a-Lago. On Friday, a second person who stayed at the president's Florida estate has been confirmed to have the virus.
The president himself continues to insist he is “not concerned”.
The FDA is also providing an emergency approval for a new coronavirus test that promises to increase the speed and rate of testing tenfold across the country.
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Trump says he will 'most likely' be tested for coronavirus
Donald Trump says patients have to "listen to their doctors" about whether to get tested and that he will likely get tested as well, after he was photographed with someone who tested positive for the virus.
President refuses to take responsibility for cutting pandemic team
Donald Trump refused to admit he fired the US pandemic response team before the coronavirus emerged as a threat to the country:
Trump concludes press conference
More updates to follow soon. Stay tuned....
Video: The president denied cutting his own pandemic team under the National Security Council.
When pressed on it, the White House cut off the reporter's mic.
As president touts US health firms, Dow rockets up additional 1,000 points
Donald Trump came to the White House Rose Garden to again address the country about the coronavirus outbreak as much of American life slowly shut down. But what followed was the president giving his citizens little practical guidance, instead giving a boost to major corporations and sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average soaring.
The Independent's Washington chief John T Bennett reports:
Jay Caruso writes: "While the president gave an Oval Office address two nights ago, he didn't appear comfortable. He bungled some of the steps the administration was taking, forcing the White House to issue corrections minutes after the address completed.
"Remarks Trump gave in the Rose Garden at the White House today prove something has changed. For someone who just two weeks ago attempted to wave off Covid-19 as no big deal, Trump came prepared to show he meant business — finally."
Google launching coronavirus testing website
As Donald Trump discussed in his press conference outside the White House, Google is working on a virtual testing tool as part of the government's coronavirus response:
The website will allow people to screen themselves for symptoms before connecting them to a nearby testing center, which the president said will be set up throughout the US, including at "drive-through" clinics.
The website is expected to launch on Sunday, though it's unclear how fast the clinics will be built.
Trump took the opportunity in announcing the website to dig at the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace website, launched under Barack Obama
Nancy Pelosi and Trump reach deal on coronavirus testing and paid leave
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House Democrats have reached a deal with Donald Trump's administration and are set to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which aims to provide free virus testing to affected patients, including uninsured people.
In a statement, she said: "This legislation is about testing, testing, testing. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge."
Pelosi said they also have "secured paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave," as well as unemployment insurance, Medicaid expansion, and food security plans for poor families impacted by the outbreak.
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