Trump declares coronavirus a national emergency

U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday over the fast-spreading coronavirus, opening the door to providing about $50 billion in federal aid to fight the disease. Trump made the announcement at a Rose Garden news conference. Trump said he was declaring the national emergency in order to "unleash the full power of the federal government."

Pressure has been mounting for Trump to declare an infectious disease emergency under the 1988 law that would allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disaster funds to state and local governments and to deploy support teams. The power is rarely used. Former President Bill Clinton in 2000 declared such an emergency for West Nile virus.