Senate Democrat: Trump could show ‘some graciousness’ by backing pandemic relief package in lame duck session

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a close ally of President-elect Joe Biden, said on Sunday that President Trump could “show some graciousness” by backing another coronavirus relief package between now and the end of his term.

“One way that President Trump can show some graciousness in the next 73 days during the transition is to publicly support a significant pandemic relief bill,” Coons said on ABC’s “This Week.” “We’ve had record new cases all this past week, it’s past time for us to come together and deliver the relief the American people are waiting for.”

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Coons whether such a bill would hurt the odds of a more comprehensive package next year, after Biden is expected to take office.

“I don’t think that passing something that is strong now undermines the opportunity to pass something broader,” Coons responded.

“We frankly don’t know where this pandemic is going now but it’s not going in a good direction,” he added.

Coons added that the delayed counting of votes had obscured what he considered a “mandate to bring us together and move us forward.”

He added that “if we’d seen all of those states come in on one night at the same time, we’d be remarking on how all over the country” Biden had flipped states that voted for Trump four years ago.

Stephanopoulos also asked Coons, whose name has been floated as a potential secretary of State in a Biden Cabinet, whether he would accept the position if asked.

“I was just reelected to the senate from Delaware and very much look forward to serving the people of Delaware, but if asked I’d be honored to serve,” Coons replied.

The senator also addressed Trump’s repetition of baseless conspiracy theories calling the election results into question.

“The president needs to show some facts, not just angry tweets,” Coons said.