Donald Trump’s late-night tweetstorm muddies his decision on stimulus talks
- US president appears to rethink his decision to call off talks on a new stimulus plan until after election
- Trump’s announcement hours earlier sent Wall Street plunging and upended recent progress made in the long-delayed negotiations
Major airlines are moving to lay-off 32,000 workers in the coming weeks, and it has increased pressure on the administration to strike a deal with Democrats to prevent job losses. In a series of late-night tweets, Trump called on both parties to support the provisions.
“The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support, & 135 Billion Dollars for Paycheck Protection Program for Small Business,” he wrote on Twitter, adding he would “sign now”.
In another tweet posted less than half an hour later, Trump said he was ready to sign a separate piece of legislation to provide US$1,200 direct payments for American taxpayers.
The president tagged White House chief of staff Mark Meadows; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Trump’s tweets are a striking shift from earlier on Tuesday. The president abruptly announced that he ordered Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to cease negotiating on a government aid package with Pelosi, and said a large bill would come after the election.
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“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,” Trump wrote on Twitter.