Trump to propose $1.8T coronavirus relief package
By Morgan Chalfant and Scott Wong - 10/09/20 12:30 PM EDT
Inching closer to Democrats’ demands, President Trump and his aides on Friday will offer Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief package, sources said, as the president urged the negotiators to “go big.â€
The new figure was a jump from the White House’s $1.6 trillion offer last week, but there was no indication that Pelosi would come down from her demand for a $2.2 trillion package.
“Covid Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!†Trump tweeted on Friday morning, a striking reversal from his position on Tuesday when he said he would walk away from negotiations with Democrats on a comprehensive relief bill to assist businesses and American workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters at the White House that Trump had settled on a “revised†stimulus package but declined to offer details, beyond saying that it addressed stimulus checks and airline assistance. He did not offer a specific dollar amount at the time.
He did not indicate whether Democrats had agreed to the deal and noted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the lead Trump administration negotiator, would be discussing the potential agreement. The White House previously said it would raise its stimulus offer to $1.6 trillion; House Democrats passed a $2.2 trillion bill last week.
Trump has sent conflicting messages on his position on stimulus over the past three days. On Tuesday, the president abruptly called off the talks between his White House and Pelosi until after the Nov. 3 election, accusing Democrats of negotiating in “bad faith†and seeking “bailouts†for states poorly-run by Democrats, a move that sent stocks tumbling.
Trump tweeted later that evening that he wanted Congress to approve standalone bills offering airline assistance and checks to Americans.
Mnuchin has spoken with Pelosi several times over the past few days despite Trump’s original claim to have called off negotiations on a broader bill. According to Pelosi’s office, Mnuchin told the speaker Thursday that the president is interested in reaching a comprehensive agreement.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/520374-trump-to-propose-18t-coronavirus-relief-package
