On Tuesday, President Trump tweeted that he is ending negotiations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Democratic leaders on a coronavirus (COVID-19) relief package until after the November elections. Despite blaming Speaker Pelosi for the failure to reach an agreement on a package, in reality the two sides have remained hundreds of billions of dollars apart since July. Only a few hours after ending the prospects of a deal, President Trump called for Congress to pass relief for airlines, money for the Paycheck Protection Program, and stimulus funds. President Trump’s approach has frustrated Republicans and business groups and thrust the prospect of future assistance into further uncertainty. Additionally, many economists have warned of the negative impact of not sending out more aid. Even with discussions stalled on a broader package, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Speaker Pelosi spoke on Wednesday morning about a stand-alone airline assistance package, according to Speaker Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill.
