Donald Trump Would ‘Happily Approve’ Progressive Demands For Stimulus Checks, Reporter Says
On Saturday, Axios reporter Jonathan Swan claimed that Donald Trump is more supportive of progressive pushes for stimulus checks during the coronavirus pandemic than Republican Party lawmakers.
“The bizarre reality – which has been true for months – is Trump would happily approve what @RoKhanna
and progressives want on stimulus checks. The people who object are congressional Republicans,” he tweeted.
Swan’s comment was a response to progressive Rep. Ro Khanna’s call for stimulus checks valued at $2,000 per month — a significant jump from the $60o payments in the forthcoming $900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill.
“Americans need more than $600 from us,” he tweeted.
“Direct payments are good, but millions of people are more than $5k behind on rent right now. We have to rise to the occasion and deliver comprehensive help—which is why I will continue to push for $2000/month.”
The comments come days after The Washington Post reported that Trump was pressured to back off his demand for stimulus checks worth $1,200 to $2000 per American. According to the publication, two anonymous sources claimed Trump made the demand to allies on a Thursday phone call. Officials allegedly warned the president that his demands could bring current coronavirus negotiations to a halt after months of stalled talks between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Before the report, Trump clashed with McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin after he called for larger payments and pressured Democrats to take the deal.
The battle over stimulus checks continues in Congress. As reported by Politico, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson blocked stimulus checks twice in the Senate and pointed instead to a GOP proposal that included increased funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and money for unemployment benefits.
Johnson claimed he ran for office due to the federal deficit and suggested he is interested in helping Americans — despite his opposition to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ consistent push for checks.
“I’m not heartless. I want to help people. I voted to help people,” he said.
The senator continued to note that he voted for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act but expressed concern with the future of American children.
In response to GOP opposition, Sanders noted the increased focus on the deficit in the Republican Party and implied that the level of concern was not present before Democrat Joe Biden won the election.
The first round of checks, which were part of the CARES act, was sent in March and each check was valued at $1,200.
