Trump ‘ready to sign’ stimulus

President Trump on Thursday reissued his call for Congress to pass stimulus legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming in a tweet that he was “ready to sign” a bill.

In an early morning message, the president took aim at Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), claiming that she “couldn’t care less about the American People or the great American Worker” and urging her to “approve needed STIMULUS now.”

“Republicans are ready to go, I am ready to sign!!!” the president added.

Nancy Pelosi couldn’t care less about the American People or the great American Worker. She should approve needed STIMULUS now. Most other Dems agree. Republicans are ready to go, I am ready to sign!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 15, 2020

Trump has sought to cast blame on Pelosi and House Democrats for failing to reach another deal with Republicans amid the ongoing pandemic, which has shuttered businesses across the country and left many Americans struggling to afford food and rent. Advocates of a new COVID-19 stimulus bill have called for immediate aid to low-income Americans, including a second round of $1,200 checks to every American.

The House passed an initial stimulus package, the CARES Act, earlier this year and saw it signed into law by Trump in March; subsequent attempts by Democrats to pass a new round of stimulus have been met with silence from Senate Republicans.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday cast doubt on the prospects of getting another COVID-19 relief package deal approved before Election Day.

“I’d say at this point getting something done before the election and executing on that would be difficult,” he said at a conference.

Mnuchin has been negotiating a deal with Pelosi for months. Most recently, he upped the White House offer to $1.8 trillion, getting closer to the latest Democratic request of $2.2 trillion. GOP senators have objected to the administration’s latest offer, however.

Pelosi’s office did not immediately return a request for comment about Trump’s latest tweet. 

–Updated at 9:22 a.m.