This is Frank Gaffney with the Secure Freedom Minute.

President Trump addressed the nation last night with an update about the state of the Wuhan flu and his administration’s various initiatives aimed at minimizing its public health and economic impact in this country.

It was a sober speech, clearly aimed at striking a difficult balance between conveying bad news – notably, the pandemic’s spread to continental Europe and, therefore, the need to suspend most air travel from there – with a mix of calming perspective and resolve.

Mr. Trump announced several initiatives aimed at mitigating the hardships being experienced by growing numbers of Americans and their businesses as a result of quarantines, social distancing and other disruptions. Of these, the most promising and least susceptible to abuse – or conversion into some sort of new, permanent and unaffordable entitlement – is a payroll tax cut or tax holiday. 

Let’s pray these steps actually help.

This is Frank Gaffney.