"The president isn't persuaded because [an emergency declaration] contradicts his message that this is the flu," said a Republican who speaks to Trump.
Trump is walking a fine line as coronavirus cases in the U.S. sail past 1,000. As the president ramps up for a 2020 reelection campaign, he is trying to simultaneously signal calm to the American public, comfort businesses whose customers have disappeared amid self-isolation directives and ensure there's enough money to combat the still-new disease.
At the White house, some of Trump's closest aides have debated whether an emergency declaration is needed to ensure those resources are available. But they have yet to make a recommendation to Trump, according to the people familiar with the situation.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is pushing for the designation but Vice President Mike Pence, who Trump tapped to lead the administration's coronavirus response, doesn't want Trump to act until Congress passes a stimulus package, according to two of the people.
There's no deadline for a decision, but one of the people familiar with the talks said the task force will not give Trump its final verdict until Jared Kushner, the president's senior adviser and son-in-law, finishes his research and comes to a conclusion himself.
Trump has spent weeks trying to reassure the public about the outbreak, while the stock market shows daily declines not seen since the 2008 recession.
"We're prepared and we're doing a great job with it," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away."
To try to offset these losses - and a broader economic recession - Trump on Monday said he would propose a stimulus package that could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. Trump is especially sensitive to variations in the stock market, seeing it as a key talking point in his reelection campaign.
"Everything is about the election now," said a former Trump adviser. "The economy is strong underneath but the market is the superficial barometer people watch. And if it's all over the place, people lose confidence."
HHS has taken the lead on the coronavirus response, making an agency-specific emergency declaration to unlock funding. The department declared a public health emergency in late January, allowing federal officials to tap money and other resources.
But that measure was limited in scope compared to a potential Trump-declared emergency.
Such a declaration, made under the Stafford Act, would allow federal officials to help with numerous virus-related issues - transportation, shelters, mobile hospitals, public safety. It would also allow money to be used from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund, which has a of more than $34 billion.
Craig Fugate, a FEMA administrator under President Barack Obama, said the Trump administration should be preparing to make the designation if the situation worsens, and eschew any optics concerns.
While the White House usually waits until governors ask for a emergency declaration and explain what help is needed, the president can act on his own.
"You want to make sure you all have all the tools in your toolkit," he said. "They shouldn't be wringing their hands and worrying about what people think. I think the American public prefers to get bad information upfront and all the details, [rather] than this tendency to downplay and worry about the economy."
Across the U.S., the coronavirus has now killed more than 30 people and health officials have warned that the situation will worsen. Elderly people and those with preexisting conditions have been the most likely to suffer serious consequences.
Trump has authorized some initial emergency coronavirus funding, signing a congressionally approved $8.3 billion package last week. But that money will inevitably run out.
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