President Donald Trump has apparently reversed himself on the prospects of another federally-funded round of economic stimulus, announcing that Democrats and Republicans are “starting to have some very productive talks” this morning during an appearance on Fox Business.
“I shut down talks two days ago because they weren”™t working out. Now they are starting to work out,” Trump said.
On Oct. 6 he tweeted: “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.”
That announcement was met with widespread chagrin by business owners and leaders on both sides of the aisle.
“I said, ”˜Look, we”™re not getting anywhere — shut it down,” he said this morning. “I didn”™t want to waste time. But in any event, we got back ”” both sides very capable ”” we got back, we started talking again. And we”™re talking about airlines and we”™re talking about a bigger deal than airlines. We”™re talking about a deal with $1,200 per person, we”™re talking about other things.”
Competing bills that have been introduced in each Congressional chamber, but not yet voted upon, would deliver about $25 billion to the airlines. The $2.2 trillion Democratic bill, passed by the House, would also provide money to state and local governments, deliver another round of stimulus checks to households, and reinstate $600 weekly unemployment benefits, among other measures.
Senate Republicans prefer a $1.6 trillion plan forwarded by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who reportedly is continuing discussions with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California).
“(Pelosi) wants it to happen, too; she doesn”™t want it not to happen,” Trump said this morning. “Because it”™s so good for our country, we really need it. It wasn”™t our workers”™ fault, it wasn”™t our airlines”™ fault that China did this terrible thing to us.”
Trump also told Fox Business this morning that he would not be participating in next week”™s presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden, after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it would be held virtually due to Trump”™s positive Covid-19 diagnosis.
“I am not going to waste my time on a virtual debate,” Trump declared, objecting to a situation that he said would allow the moderator to “cut you off whenever they want.”
However, this afternoon the Trump campaign agree to Biden’s suggestion that they move the debate, originally scheduled for Oct. 15, to Oct. 22 in Miami. It will be an in-person, “town hall” event, unless Trump’s condition worsens.
