Business

Trump contends stimulus negotiations are back on and floats $1,200 checks just 2 days after pulling the plug on talks

Trump
  • Trump said broader coronavirus relief talks are back on only two days after he abruptly ended them.
  • “Now they are starting to work out, we’re starting to have some very productive talks,” he said in a Fox Business interview.
  • Mnuchin and Pelosi have been discussing a separate piece of legislation to rescue the airline industry, and the speaker has already rejected direct payments as a standalone measure.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump said that stimulus talks are back on with Democrats only two days after abruptly ordering Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to stop negotiating with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Well I shut down talks two days ago because they weren’t working out,” Trump said during an interview on Fox Business. “Now they are starting to work out, we’re starting to have some very productive talks.”

Pelosi and Mnuchin have started talks on additional federal assistance for airlines. United and American are moving ahead with layoffs for 30,000 workers in the coming weeks, which has increased pressure on the Trump administration to strike a deal with Democrats.

The president also said other issues were on the table, such as another round of $1,200 direct payments for American taxpayers.

“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,” Trump said.

He added he believed Pelosi “wants it to happen, because it’s so good for our country, we really need it.”

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Trump surprisingly ended coronavirus relief negotiations on Tuesday, ordering Mnuchin to cease efforts at brokering a deal with Pelosi. It triggered criticism from some Republican senators and lawmakers who urged him to reconsider the move.

Up to now, however, Pelosi and Mnuchin have discussed a standalone airline bill. They are set to speak again on Thursday, according to Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill. She already rejected the idea of a separate piece of legislation for $1,200 direct payments unless it’s part of a broader package.

“All the president wants is his name on a check,” Pelosi told reporters on Wednesday. “And that doesn’t — we’re here to honor our heroes, crush the virus, put money in the pockets of the American people beyond a check with his name on it.”

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