President Trump Invokes Wartime Law The Defense Production Act—Here's What That Does

At Wednesday's White House press briefing, President Trump said he would invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950 in response to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, which gives the federal government broad powers to enlist private companies to help with national crises.

The Defense Production Act of 1950, enacted at the outset of the Korean War, allows the federal government to compel companies through loans, loan guarantees, purchases and purchase commitments to prioritize and expedite development of supplies and resources to support national defense.