Mark Meadows, White House chief of staff, blamed the stalled negotiations on the second coronavirus relief package on a "fantasy objection" from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 

Chief Of Staff Mark Meadows Speaks To Media At The White House
(Photo : Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to members of the press outside the West Wing of the White House on August 28, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Meadows said Pelosi would not explain what her version of a coronavirus relief package would fund.

In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Meadows attacked Pelosi for her unwillingness to come down from the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package demand they have.

In a report from The Hill, he claimed the Speaker would "rather have nothing" than a stimulus package.

Some observers even said the proposal was "laden with items not related to economic relief," said a report from Deadline.

According to Meadows, when he had a conversation with Pelosi, the Speaker could neither tell the American people nor him, what is in the $2.2 trillion counter offer.

He said when he asked Pelosi during a phone call what the proposed value will represent, Pelosi answered with: "I'm not going to tell you. Let me fill in the blanks."

For him, it was not a "proper negotiation," and it was not something that U.S. citizens can accept as a reason for the relief package's price tag.

Meadows said the problem with the Democrats' offer was that Pelosi puts forth a number, suggested she came down, but she's willing to turn down $1.3 trillion. This is despite the funds going to the American people, he said.

Pelosi and Democrats Defend Own Offer

Pelosi and House Democrats also noted that their offer is lower than what they originally planned for the second stimulus, the $3.4 trillion HEROES Act.

A representative of the Speaker then called Meadows' comments misleading. They contested Meadows himself did not want to break down the costs of his offer during the Thursday phone call.

The representative also said the call's point was to find out if the Republicans have budged from their offer.

Pelosi addressed the conversation during a press conference on Thursday. She told reporters at the time that Democrats will not be making any more concessions as they've already lowered their offer by over a trillion dollars.

She added that they have been adamant that they are willing to meet the Republican offer halfway.

"That would be $2.2 trillion," she said. Until the other negotiators are ready to do that, they'll be ready to discuss and negotiate specifics.

Pelosi also said she did not get the impression that White House negotiators will be willing to meet in the middle, based on Meadows' call.

"Why should there be a bill that has far less than what the public needs? We have that responsibility, and they're just going to have to come up with more money," she added.

Meadows said Pelosi Was Inflexible

Meadows again countered this by saying the Speaker had been "very clear" and characterized her as inflexible. "When she said $2.2 trillion, she said, 'Don't do anything at all,'" Meadows said.

According to Politico, President Donald Trump has said Friday that he's willing to sign a $1.3 trillion relief bill. This is $300 billion more than the original White House offer of $1 trillion.

The White House offer worth $1.3 trillion for the aid package will include enhanced unemployment insurance and help for small businesses, said Fox Business.

It will also include funding for schools, childcare, and hospitals "at levels Pelosi will agree with."

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