President Donald Trump urged Congress on Tuesday to pass more economic aid, including the $1,200 direct stimulus checks, to be sent to millions of Americans. 

Donald Trump
(Photo : Reutersconnect)

Since July, Trump has been asking Congress to act on the second stimulus package or additional economic aid. He wanted millions of Americans to receive the necessary financial assistance like stimulus checks, unemployment claims, and PPP loans.

The Trump administration has been in a series of negotiations with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi but failed to reach a deal. 

Pelosi initially wanted to strike a $3 trillion new stimulus package, but the Republican negotiators disagreed because Pelosi did not give details on how the money will be spent. 

After the collapse of their negotiation, Trump issued an executive order that mandates the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use and divert its unspent budget for unemployment claims.

Qualified individuals, who were jobless and applied in the financial program, received $300 weekly unemployment claims.

Trump has also decided to extend it for another three weeks. That means qualified unemployed individuals received a total amount of $1,800 or equivalent to six weeks of unemployment claims. Not only that, the president also halted house eviction to protect those who can no longer pay their rent amid the pandemic.

Last week, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said the Trump administration offered around $1.6 trillion for coronavirus aid package, but that failed to win over Pelosi as she was pushing for $2.2 trillion. 

It created a tension in Congress as the vulnerable Democratic candidates who are in a tight race wanted to vote in any form of stimulus before leaving Washington to get on the campaign trail.

While he was at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to COVID-19, Trump has already told both chambers to unite and strike a deal. It is a clear manifestation that Trump is personally fighting and prioritizing his countrymen, even when he's sick.

On Tuesday or a day before Trump returned to the White House, he posted two opposing statements on his Twitter account. He first wrote and told the Republicans to halt any stimulus negotiations until after the election.

But before the day ends, he made another tweet and urged Congress to pass more economic aid, specifically the direct stimulus checks. He added that he would immediately sign the stimulus bill that will be passed by lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Meadows told the Fox News on Wednesday morning that the administration wanted a standalone bill.

Meadows said: "We're still willing to be engaged... I am optimistic that there's about 10 things that we can do on a piecemeal basis."

It was also reported that Mnuchin and Pelosi would continue their discussions on Thursday, and hopefully, they could come up with a deal. 

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