President Trump on Wednesday announced in a televised address that the U.S. is suspending all travel from Europe to the U.S. for 30 days beginning Friday at midnight in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

The president struck a serious tone during his address from the Oval Office and said, "We made a lifesaving move with early action on China. Now we must take the same action with Europe.”

His address came hours after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 a global pandemic and the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. climbed to more than 1,200. Trump said the new travel exemptions do not apply to the United Kingdom.

"The virus will not have a chance against us. No nation is more prepared, or more resilient," Trump said. "We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship and unified together as one nation, and one family."

A  European diplomat told Reuters that the White House did not notify European officials before the televised address.