While the exponential spread of the virus in Europe, North America and the Middle East has dashed any hopes for a quick containment, dozens of countries have imposed increasingly draconian measures — shutting borders, expanding testing, closing school for tens of millions of children and ordering tens of thousands of businesses to close their doors — to try to face down the disease.

“We will defeat this threat,” Trump said in a White House press conference. “When America is tested, America rises to the occasion.”

The emergency decree will open up $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak, said Trump, who also announced new efforts to expand coronavirus testing and gave the secretary of health and human services emergency powers to waive federal regulations to give doctors and hospitals “flexibility” in treating patients.

Still, Trump said the White House and Congress have yet to agree on a sweeping aid package with sick pay, free testing and other resources, saying he doesn’t believe House Democrats are “giving enough.” The governors of six states — Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Washington