Coronavirus: 'Wartime president' Trump invokes emergency act to marshal medical supplies to tackle outbreak
President Donald Trump on Wednesday, March 18, said he considers the US to be on a ‘wartime footing’ in its fight with the coronavirus outbreak. Over 120 people have died in the country while nearly 8,000 have been affected by the deadly disease.
When the president was asked by Fox News’ John Roberts whether he considers his country to be on a ‘wartime footing’ to tackle the menace, he said he actually does. Trump was interacting with the media in the White House briefing room. “I’m looking at it that way,” said the Republican leader, who is seeking re-election to the White House this year.
"I view it as a - in a sense, a wartime president, that's what we've been fighting. It's a very tough situation here. We have to do things. We have to close parts of an economy that six weeks ago were the best they've ever been.” Trump said this while patting his own back over the decision to restrict travel from China made in January. According to him, the situation would have been worse had he not made the move.
The president also said on the occasion that he would use the powers outlined in the Defense Production Act to increase the production of medical equipment to cater to Americans who have been hit by the disease.
“There’s never been an instance like this where no matter what you have, it’s not enough,” Trump said. “If we need to use it, we'll be using it full speed ahead.” Later, Trump clarified in a tweet that he was signing the act as a precautionary measure. And then he called coronavirus as a “Chinese Virus” yet again.
“I only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to invoke it in a worst-case scenario in the future. Hopefully, there will be no need, but we are all in this TOGETHER!” he wrote early on Wednesday.
Defense Production Act is a Korean War-time provision
The Defense Production Act of 1950 was signed by the then President Harry S Truman amid concerns about manpower and equipment in response to the Korean War. It has been invoked several times to help the federal government during emergencies like war, hurricane and blackouts.
In 2001, the then administrations (first by Bill Clinton and then George W Bush) invoked the act to ensure smooth supply of electricity and natural gas to California facing an energy crisis, as per a 2009 Congressional Research Service report.
Just a day before, Trump had said he wasn’t ready to make use of the Act. But we saw him change his stance 24 hours later and gave out the message that he was leading his country into a battle against an ‘invisible enemy’.
“I want all Americans to understand: we are at war with an invisible enemy, but that enemy is no match for the spirit and resolve of the American people,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. “It cannot overcome the dedication of our doctors, nurses, and scientists — and it cannot beat the LOVE, PATRIOTISM, and DETERMINATION of our citizens. Strong and United, WE WILL PREVAIL!”
On the economic front, however, Trump is yet to produce a magical leadership. The market is in freefall with Dow going below the level it was when the mercurial president started in January 2017. It is a major challenge for his re-election bid since a performing economy was one of his major advantages before the polls.