Trump said the United States would ban all travel from Europe, where the virus has spread uncontrollably, for 30 days beginning Friday at midnight, although the president said the United Kingdom, which is an island yet still has reported hundreds of its own cases, would be exempt. The White House also later clarified that the travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens and can be waived in multiple circumstances.
Although he read from a prepared script as he delivered a rare prime-time televised address to the nation from the Oval Office, Trump incorrectly described his own policy. The president said in his speech that the travel restriction from Europe would apply to cargo and trade as well as passengers. But the text of the order, later released by the White House, stated that the ban would not include cargo, allowing for continued trade between the continents to maintain the free flow of commerce. Continue reading.