WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump announces details about the tax deadline extension and the stoppage of student loan payments in his Friday update with the Coronavirus Task Force.  

Here are Friday's highlights:

 

  • Donald Trump announced that student loan payments and all interest on federally held student loans will be waived for at least 60 days. He said more information will come soon.
  • He also announced that the Department of Education will no longer enforce standardized testing for U.S. students, in both elementary schools and high schools.
  • He confirmed that the tax deadline has been moved from April 15th to July 15th. Taxes can be filed then with no interest or penalties on money owed. However, if you’re due a refund, you can file for that right now.
  • Trump said he had a “very good” conversation with Senator Chuck Schumer regarding bills to bolster the economy by offering financial help to individuals and businesses.
  • He applauded governors, particularly California’s Gavin Newsom and New York’s Andrew Cuomo for taking bold steps to curtail the spread of Coronavirus and said he’s “working closely with them”.
  • Trump said he is not considering a national lockdown.
  • He was joined by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to announce a new agreement with Mexico to restrict travel, saying mass migration will deplete resources, overwhelm the health care system, cripple our immigration system and put border patrol agents at risk.
  • In line with that, the CDC is exercising Title 42 protections for Customs and Border Patrol agents. Any undocumented immigrants will be sent back to their home country immediately.
  • He said he took steps last night to “put into gear” the Defense Production Act, moving it into the “highest level of activation”.
  • He reiterated that the federal government is helping the states “a lot”, saying things like procuring equipment is something the states would normally do, but the federal government is helping the states “a lot”, and getting them the equipment they need.