President Donald Trump has called to put a halt to negotiations with Democrats over additional COVID-19 relief until after the elections. The decision to abruptly put on hold COVID-19 relief, despite ominous warnings from his own Federal Reserve chairman about the deteriorating conditions in the economy.
Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith”. He also added that he's asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to direct all his focus before the election into confirming his US Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business," Trump tweeted.
Last week, the White House indicated that it was backing a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and possibly consider a $1.6 trillion-worth COVID-19 relief bill. The proposition was rejected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Hours later, however, he urged Congress to pass a COVID-19 stimulus bill. But, what the President demanded through the bill wasn’t the same as he rejected while negotiating with the Democrats. "The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support, & 135 Billion Dollars for Paycheck Protection Program for Small Business. Both of these will be fully paid for with unused funds from the Cares Act. Have this money. I will sign now!" Trump tweeted.
"If I am sent a Stand-Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200), they will go out to our great people IMMEDIATELY. I am ready to sign right now. Are you listening Nancy?" he tweeted, tagging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Republicans leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows.
Pelosi, was reported in a CBS report as saying, "Today, once again, President Trump showed his true colours: putting himself first at the expense of the country, with the full complicity of the GOP Members of Congress.”
Trump, via his tweets, indicated that he would sign a large stimulus bill to aid those affected by COVID-19 only after he was re-elected. In May, the House passed a stimulus bill worth $3.4 trillion. This time, Democrats have indicated that the bill needs to be worth $2 trillion. Biden blasting Trump’s decision to stall talks said, “Make no mistake: if you are out of work if your business is closed, if your child's school is shut down, if you are seeing layoffs in your community, Donald Trump decided today that none of that — none of it — matters to him."
COVID-19 has claimed more than 210,000 lives in the US and cost the economy over 22 million jobs.
