Trump activated the National Defense Production Law to speed up production of equipment needed for the fight against Covid-19.

Trump on March 18 announced at a White House press conference that he was about to sign a Defense Production Law, introduced in the 1950s Korean War, allowing the President to ask the US industry to increase production. Export important equipment and supplies such as ventilators, masks and protective gear for health workers.

"I consider myself a wartime president. We are fighting in a war, the situation is very difficult," he said. "We will defeat the invisible enemy".

Two military hospital ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy are transferred to New York and one location on the West Bank. Comfort is basically a floating hospital with 1,000 patient beds, including 80 beds in the intensive care unit.

Trump also announced the Department of Housing and Urban Development will assist tenants and landlords by suspending foreclosure and forcing them to leave their homes until the end of April.

The White House is asking Congress to approve a proposed $ 500 billion disbursement to directly support US citizens in the coming weeks and $ 300 billion to help small businesses, the measures included in the stimulus package of about 1,000 billion USD. The US Treasury Department proposed to send checks to people in two waiting days on April 6 and May 18. The level of benefits depends on income and family size.

The US recorded more than 7,600 cases, about 110 died and more than 100 recovered. Covid-19 occurs in all states, with Washington, New York and California accounting for two-thirds of the deaths. Trump on March 13 declared a national emergency, giving states and territories access to $ 50 billion in federal funds to cope with the epidemic. The US closes its borders with most of Europe, China, Canada and elsewhere heavily affected by Covid-19.

Covid-19 appeared in 170 countries and territories, with more than 204,000 people infected, more than 8,200 dead and more than 82,000 people recovered.