Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images
President Trump tweeted Wednesday that the U.S. and Canada had reached a "mutual" decision to close their border to "non-essential traffic" in an effort to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.
What he's saying: "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!"
The big picture: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier this week that Canada would bar entry for foreign nationals, but that American citizens would be exempt. Two coronavirus hot spots in the U.S., Washington and New York state, share a border with Canada.
- Asked why the ban didn't apply to Americans, Trudeau said: "The level of integration of our two economies ... puts the U.S. in a separate category from the rest of the world."
- Trudeau did not rule out closing the border to the U.S. at a later date.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
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