President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was fully prepared to use the full weight of the federal government to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., which reportedly includes declaring a national disaster to free up nearly $40 billion in immediate aid.
“Trump is considering declaring a national disaster to free up funds for the federal government’s response to the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday,” Reuters reported. “Such a declaration, under the Stafford Act, could free up as much as $40 billion in immediate aid, according to Politico.”
Trump tweeted, “I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!”
I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020
Trump sent out several other tweets about the administration’s efforts on combating the coronavirus.
“Someone needs to tell the Democrats in Congress that CoronaVirus doesn’t care what party you are in,” Trump tweeted. “We need to protect ALL Americans!”
Someone needs to tell the Democrats in Congress that CoronaVirus doesn’t care what party you are in. We need to protect ALL Americans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020
“America is the Greatest Country in the world. We have the best scientists, doctors, nurses and health care professionals. They are amazing people who do phenomenal things every day,” Trump continued. “Together we are putting into policy a plan to prevent, detect, treat and create a vaccine against CoronaVirus to save lives in America and the world. America will get it done!”
….Together we are putting into policy a plan to prevent, detect, treat and create a vaccine against CoronaVirus to save lives in America and the world. America will get it done!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020
“I want to thank all of our Great Government officials on the CoronaVirus Task Force who are working around the clock, in response to the CoronaVirus. Continue to check http://CDC.gov for updates, and follow all recommendations that are available,” Trump added. “We have the greatest healthcare system, experts, scientists and doctors anywhere in the world. Together, we will PREVAIL!”
….We have the greatest healthcare system, experts, scientists and doctors anywhere in the world. Together, we will PREVAIL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 11, 2020
The Trump administration has aggressively moved in taking action in combating the coronavirus, which originated in China.
The CDC highlighted some of the action that the administration has taken:
- CDC established a COVID-19 Incident Management System on January 7, 2020. On January 21, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the COVID-19 response.
- The U.S. government has taken unprecedented steps with respect to travel in response to the growing public health threat posed by this new coronavirus:
- Foreign nationals who have been in China or Iran within the past 14 days cannot enter the United States.
- U.S. citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who have been in China or Iran within in the past 14 days can enter the United States, but they are subject to health monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 14 days.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned during a congressional testimony on Wednesday that the situation was going to get worse.
Incredible news!!! Getting a coronavirus vaccine into Phase 1 of testing has occurred the fastest “that anyone has ever done literally in the history of vaccinology.” – Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIH pic.twitter.com/T02OiOzPPi
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 11, 2020
“I can say we will see more cases, and things will get worse than they are right now,” Fauci said. “How much worse we’ll get will depend on our ability to do two things: to contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside, and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country.”
“Bottom line, it’s going to get worse,” Fauci continued. “We need to know how many people … are infected, as we say, under the radar screen.”
Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified, “As we experience the growing community spread in the United States, the burden of confronting this outbreak is shifting to states and local health professionals on the front lines.”
This report has been updated to include additional information.