Trump won't declare a national emergency for coronavirus because it 'contradicts his message that this is the flu'

President Donald Trump isn't going to declare a national emergency about the coronavirus, but it's not because it doesn't necessitate one.

According to Politico, it's because Trump feels it contradicts him, according to three people familiar with the situation.

Trump will likely sign "a more limited designation to allow the federal government to cover small business loans, paychecks for hourly workers and delay tax bills, the White House said Wednesday."

A national emergency would go beyond that, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to obtain funding from other sources of the government and help states struggling with the crisis.

"Trump’s concern at this point is that going further could hamper his narrative that the coronavirus is similar to the seasonal flu, said the three people familiar with the discussions," Politico wrote. "The administration is also negotiating with Congress over a stimulus package designed to cushion the coronavirus-hampered economy. But that calculation could change in the coming weeks."

A republican who spoke with the president explained it as being more about Trump's pride. “The president isn’t persuaded because [an emergency declaration] contradicts his message that this is the flu,” the Republican claimed.

Read the full report at Politico.