U.S. President Donald Trump reversed course Tuesday night, urging lawmakers to approve a series of coronavirus relief measures that he would sign, including a new round of $1,200 stimulus cheques for Americans.
Earlier in the day, he had halted talks between top Democrats and Republicans in Congress until "after I win" the election, which appeared to have killed the chances of a new package. Both assertions by the president, 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, in reference to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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.
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 push a series of smaller, individual packages on mutually agreed-upon items.
