Trump Declares U.S. National Emergency (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 13th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump held a press conference and declared a national emergency due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

President Trump explained that state governments and others would have access to $50 billion in funds, and that he had spoken with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and agreed to cooperate between the federal and local governments.

As the number of patients in the U.S. rapidly increased and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic, President Trump appears to have changed his stance on COVID-19 and decided to declare a state of emergency.

This emergency declaration is based on the Stafford Act passed in 1988, under which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can utilize disaster funds exceeding $40 billion to support state governments with necessary funding for testing, medical facilities, and more.