Hours after ending talks, Trump asks for standalone coronavirus stimulus check bill

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President Donald Trump created an uproar Tuesday after he ended talks on the coronavirus stimulus package. However, a few hours later, he backtracked a bit, asking Congress to pass the coronavirus stimulus checks. Trump said he is ready to sign a standalone bill that will give Americans $1,200 in coronavirus stimulus checks.

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Trump wants standalone coronavirus stimulus check bill

In a tweet Tuesday night, Trump said that if Congress sends him a "Stand Alone Bill" for stimulus checks, he will sign it immediately. In his tweet, Trump tagged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional leaders.

“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?” read Trump’s tweet.

Trump also called Congress to “IMMEDIATELY approve” $25 billion in airline payroll support, as well as $135 billion for the paycheck protection program. He asked Congress to use the unused funds in the CARES Act to fund these benefits.

This is not the first time Trump has called on Congress to use the unused funds of the CARES Act. Also, it is not the first time the call has been made to pass the standalone stimulus bill. Many Democrats previously have also urged Pelosi to work on the smaller stimulus bills. However, the idea never gained any momentum.

Trump ends stimulus talks hours before

Just hours before asking Congress to approve coronavirus stimulus checks, Trump told his representative to “stop negotiating until after the election.” Trump said after he wins the November election, he would pass a “major Stimulus Bill” for the hardworking Americans and Small Business.”

Trump pinned the blame on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for no deal. He accused Pelosi of “not negotiating in good faith,” adding that she rejected a reasonable offer of $1.6 trillion. Trump also asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to focus efforts on confirming his Supreme Court appointee, Amy Coney Barrett.

Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were set to talk on Tuesday again in the hope of reaching a consensus. Trump’s tweet, however, ended the talks. The two sides were $600 million apart as of Tuesday.

Pelosi, in reply, said that Trump “showed his true colors” by “putting himself first at the expense of the country.” Also, she said that by ending coronavirus talks, Trump proved that he isn’t willing to “crush the virus.”

Trump’s decision to end stimulus talks not only drew rebukes from Democrats, but from moderate Republicans as well. Also, it confused political observers considering the stimulus package is a significant factor in the polls. As per a Hill/HarrisX poll released Monday, 74% of voters want the Senate to act first on the stimulus, compared to just 26% in favor of confirming Judge Barrett.