President Donald Trump reversed course Tuesday night and urged Congress to approve a series of COVID relief measures that he would sign, including a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks for Americans.
Earlier in the day, he had halted talks between top Democrats and Republicans until “after I win” the election, which appeared to have k!lled the chances of a new package.
Both moves by the president, who was released Monday from the hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19, were made on Twitter.
“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?” Trump tweeted Tuesday night.
He said in another tweet that he would approve funding for specific struggling industries, such as airlines and small businesses, which is short of what House Democrats proposed.
“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 it now!” Trump said.
A senior administration official familiar with the president’s thinking said Tuesday that a “large-scale stimulus package is on the sidelines,” as Trump made clear earlier, saying the president felt it best not to string people along. But the White House appears to be planning to pu-sh a series of smaller, individual packages on mutually agreed-upon items.
“Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to ba!l out poorly run, high cr!me, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19,” Trump said earlier of the aid package passed by House Democrats last week, which was actually for $2.2 trillion, “We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am reje*ting their request, and looking to the future of our country.”
“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,” he continued. “I have asked Mitch McConnell not to delay, but to instead focus full time on approving my outstanding nominee to the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett.”
Trump then praised the state of the economy, pointing to the stock market, unemployment, and recent job gains. In the minutes after his tweet, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged by more than 400 points.
This Article First Published On NBCNEWS