Trump declares coronavirus a national emergency

President Donald Trump has announced that he is declaring the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.

He is speaking to the American people from the Rose Garden as Washington struggles with providing Americans with relief and officials race to slow the spread of outbreak.

Trump also waived interest on federally held student loans and moved to prop up energy markets, by directing the Department of Energy to buy oil to fill the strategic petroleum reserve “’right up to the top.”

Negotiations continue between the White House and Congress on an aid package, but Trump said they have yet to agree. House Democrats are preparing to vote on their own measure Friday.

President Donald Trump says he may add the U.K. to the list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the U.S. because of the new coronavirus.

The Trump administration left the U.K. out when it issued a ban this week for citizens from 26 European countries.

The number of cases in the U.K. rose substantially over the past 24 hours to about 800.

Trump also said he might take some of the 26 countries off the banned list but did not specify which.

The ban does not apply to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.