Pres. Trump says 'we're looking at drugs already approved for other indications' for COVID-19
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said Thursday, March 19 the government should take an equity stake in some companies that need bailouts because of the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the U.S. economy.President Trump told a briefing he has executive authority to curb the impact on businesses."There's a lot of executive power," he said. “If we don't have to use it, that would be a good thing, not a bad thing.”Such a move could be an extraordinary reach by government into the private sector.
Pres. Trump signs aid package guaranteeing sick leave for workers amid coronavirus pandemic
WASHINGTON — Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump on Wednesday, March 18 invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against the coronavirus pandemic.
Q&A: What does 90-day tax payment delay mean for filers?
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration has announced that most individuals and businesses will be allowed to delay paying their federal tax bills for 90 days as part of an emergency relief plan amid the coronavirus pandemic.Some questions and answers about the delay and its potential impact on the U.S. economy.Do I still need to file?Yes.The details on the program are still scant.
Global stocks sink after President Trump promises virus aid
BEIJING — Global stock markets sank Wednesday in a third day of wild price swings after President Donald Trump promised aid to get the U.S. economy through the coronavirus outbreak.London and Frankfurt opened more than 3% lower and Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong all declined.
President Trump: 'We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing' border with Canada
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, and the Trump administration is considering a plan to turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico, two administration officials said.Canada and the U.S. are eager to choke off the spread of the virus but also maintain their vital economic relationship.
Senate turns to House-passed virus bill, bigger 1 in works
WASHINGTON — The Senate turned to a House-passed coronavirus response bill on Wednesday, even as lawmakers and the Trump administration worked behind the scenes to fashion a separate massive federal effort to speed emergency checks to Americans, relief to businesses and additional emergency funding for federal agencies.Wednesday's legislation would speed the delivery of testing for the virus and provide paid sick leave to workers, but the focus in Washington has already moved to development of a far, far larger response bill that would inject hundreds of billions of dollars into the faltering economy, provide relief to shuttered businesses, and help keep airlines from going under.The upcoming economic package alone could exceed $1 trillion, a rescue plan not seen since the Great Recession.
President Trump invokes emergency authority; Big 3 automakers closing
MINNEAPOLIS — President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroit's Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers.On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street.
President Trump mulls sending all who cross border illegally to Mexico over coronavirus
SAN DIEGO — The President Trump administration is considering a plan to turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico, two administration officials said Tuesday, using powers they say the president has during pandemics like the coronavirus outbreak to mount what would be one of the most aggressive attempts to curtail illegal immigration.The plan is under consideration and no final decisions have been made, according to the officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasn’t been announced.The officials said the president has the authority to take such action in a pandemic and that Mexico’s efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus, along with Venezuela’s, have been the weakest in North and South America.
President Trump's economic rescue package could approach $1 trillion
WASHINGTON — In a massive federal effort, President Donald Trump asked Congress to speed emergency checks to Americans, enlisted the military for MASH-like hospitals and implored ordinary people — particularly socially active millennials — to do their part by staying home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.His proposed economic package alone could approach $1 trillion, a rescue initiative not seen since the Great Recession.
President Trump expands telehealth service coverage for Medicare recipients
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is taking another step to combat the coronavirus.“Medicare patients can now visit any doctor by phone or video conference at no additional cost,” the president said.The Trump administration and the Department of Health and Human Services are now expanding coverage of telehealth services.“In addition, states have the authority to cover telehealth services for their medical patients,” the president said.The goal is to help more than 60 million Medicare recipients throughout the country.
Trump administration announces 90-day delay for many tax payments
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration says individuals and businesses will be allowed to delay paying their 2019 tax bills for 90 days past the usual April 15 deadline.
Stocks jump as Pres. Trump promises to 'go big' on aid for economy
NEW YORK — Stocks jumped Tuesday, March 17 as President Donald Trump promised he's “going big” with plans to blunt the economic pain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.Markets around the world remain highly volatile as traders see a recession growing more likely if it hasn't begun already.
President Trump's economic aid could approach $1T, senators say
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is asking Congress to unleash a torrent of emergency economic aid — including direct checks to Americans — an effort unseen since the Great Recession to shore up households and the economy amid the coronavirus crisis.President Trump wants checks out to the public within two weeks as part of what officials said could approach a $1 trillion package.
White House seeks $850B economic stimulus for virus response
WASHINGTON -- The White House was asking Congress on Tuesday to approve a sweeping emergency stimulus package to help businesses and taxpayers cope with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
President Trump wants quick checks sent to public in COVID-19 response
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wants the government to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks in an effort to curb the economic cost of the coronavirus pandemic, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday.“The president has instructed me we have to do this now,” he said at the White House briefing.
White House: Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 amid coronavirus
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The White House on Monday, March 16 urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases.President Donald Trump and the coronavirus task force released the guidelines as the U.S. government moved to try to blunt the impact of the virus, racing to bolster testing and aid even as financial markets fell and Americans scrambled to reorder their lives.Among the new recommendations: Over the next 15 days, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.
US officials: Foreign disinformation stoking virus fears
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is alleging that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway aimed at spreading fear in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, three U.S. officials said Monday.Also on Monday, national security officials said there had been a cyber incident involving the computer networks of Health and Human Services, but that the networks were operating normally.
'Just relax:' President Trump calls on Americans to cease hoarding food, supplies
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Sunday, March 15 called on Americans to cease hoarding groceries and other supplies, while one of the nation's most senior public health officials called on the nation to act with more urgency to safeguard their health as the coronavirus outbreak continued to spread across the United States.
Fauci open to 14-day 'national shutdown' to stem virus
WASHINGTON — The government’s top infectious disease expert said Sunday he would like to see aggressive measures such as a 14-day national shutdown that would require Americans to hunker down even more to help slow spread of the coronavirus.Still, Dr.
President Trump defends US over airport crowding amid virus fears
CHICAGO — Harsh criticism rained on the Trump administration Sunday from state and local officials over long lines of returning international passengers at some U.S. airports that could have turned them into coronavirus carriers as they tried to get home.Illinois Gov.