With deadlines looming, Trump throws wrench into COVID-19 relief agreement
By Christopher Wilson
President Trump undermined his own party’s coronavirus stimulus position with a Tuesday night video calling for $2,000 in direct payments, far more than Republicans had been asking for.
In a video posted to Twitter, Trump called the $600 direct payments agreed to over the weekend by congressional leadership “ridiculously low” and the 5,593-page bill a “disgrace.”
Trump has been almost entirely absent from the congressional negotiations, as he has focused on attempting to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 elections.
While both chambers passed the bill with margins that would override a potential veto — which Trump did not specifically threaten but certainly implied in the four-minute address — a delay could result in the government shutting down due to lack of funding and millions of Americans losing their unemployment payments and homes due to looming deadlines.
Related: Six ways Washington’s gridlock on COVID-19 is hurting ordinary Americans
After Trump suggested the payments of $2,000 — a large increase from the $600 put forth by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin earlier this month — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly jumped at the opportunity to increase the $900 billion relief bill.
“Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks,” the Democratic leader posted to Twitter after Trump’s message, sharing his video with her own followers. “At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let’s do it!”
Prior to the posting of the video, White House staff spent Tuesday stating that the president would be signing the bill, with Mnuchin issuing a statement praising its passage. Many of Trump’s other complaints about the bill were about government funding measures, particularly foreign aid, that had been attached to the COVID-19 relief in an omnibus spending bill. Trump’s video came after many members of Congress had already left town for the holiday.
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 at 3:21PM
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