Trump halts COVID-19 stimulus talks with Democrats ‘until after the election’

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he has told his administration’s negotiators to stop the coronavirus stimulus talks with Democrats until after the November 3 Presidential election. Trump's declaration ends an ongoing push to send trillions of dollars relief to Americans as the COVID-19 outbreak rampages through the country and the economy struggles to recover from virus-related shutdowns.

"...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. I have asked...," US President wrote in a tweet.

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United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke for an hour about a relief package on Monday and planned to discuss a possible agreement again Tuesday. However, the President mentioned that he had rejected the request of Nancy Pelosi, who had asked for an amount of USD 2.4 trillion to bailout Democratic states. He further went on to say that she is not negotiating in good faith.

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"Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19. We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith," he said in another tweet.

'We are leading the World in Economic Recovery'

Furthermore, the president said he has asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to focus full time on confirming Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, which Senate Republicans have pushed to do before the election amid several Covid-19 cases within their ranks. 

Last week, the White House said it was backing a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and dangled the possibility of a COVID-19 relief bill of $1.6 trillion. However, that offer was rejected by Pelosi.

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(With inputs from ANI)