WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said in a tweet he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on another round of COVID-19 relief until after the Nov. 3 General Election.
“[I]mmediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Businesses,” Trump said.
Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith" and said he's asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to direct all his focus before the election into confirming his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.
Stocks dropped suddenly on Wall Street after Trump ordered a stop to negotiations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average swung instantly from a gain of about 200 points to a loss of about 300 points.
Shortly after, Trump laid down a challenge to Democrats: Send me a bill just for $1,200 checks for Americans and I will sign it.
Maine’s representatives in the Senate who are directly involved with the negotiations, Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, called Trump’s plan to block relief “unbelievable” and “a huge mistake.”
Here's how Maine politicians reacted:
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
"Waiting until after the election to reach an agreement on the next Covid-19 relief package is a huge mistake. I have already been in touch with the Secretary of the Treasury, one of the chief negotiators, and with several of my Senate colleagues.
When the pandemic began, Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together successfully to take quick, sweeping action -- allocating nearly $3 trillion since March to respond to the crisis and passing the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program I co-authored that has provided more than $2 billion to 28,000 Maine small businesses, helping to sustain 250,000 Maine jobs. That's the same approach we need to take now to continue to provide support for the health and safety of all Americans and the safe, responsible opening of our communities."
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine)
“The economy is foundering; states and localities are facing massive shortfalls; across the country, sick, jobless, and anxious Americans need help.
But President Trump just said, clear as day, that he’s putting politics before aid for those who are suffering.
Unbelievable.”
Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine District 2)
“As I've said for months now, the American people and the country can't wait for additional coronavirus-related federal aid — not until after the election and certainly not until 2021.
Negotiations on a COVID-19 package were progressing — far too slowly but still progressing — before the president announced today that he was pulling out of talks. Just last week the president’s team proposed $250 billion in new state and local aid, as part of a $1.6 trillion package. This was an important development that should have gotten us closer to a deal and would have brought at least $1 billion in assistance to Maine’s state budget at a critical time, along with support for small businesses and the unemployed. Democratic leadership should have taken that offer more seriously.
The president’s withdrawal from COVID-19 negotiations is a monumental failure in leadership, and it’s a failure shared by the rest of our nation’s political leaders in both parties and in both houses of Congress. If our leaders can’t get the job done, then all three of them — President Trump, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McConnell — should step aside in favor of people who will commit to forging a workable compromise for the present. Discontinuing negotiations will only further delay action until far too long after the November 3rd election.”
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine District 1)
“We want to send Americans direct relief & to prevent our small businesses from going bankrupt.
Pres. Trump wants Republicans to ‘focus full time on’ on rubberstamping an extremist SCOTUS justice.
Which approach better understands the urgency of this moment?”
Sara Gideon, Maine Speaker of the House and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
“Maine people, businesses, and communities need more relief from the federal government to make it through the coronavirus pandemic, but Washington is letting them down once again. Senator Collins often talks about the importance of her seniority, but it’s been months since the last round of federal relief was passed and once again, she's failed to stand up to Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell when Mainers need her most.
The federal government needs to establish a robust testing and contact tracing program, support people who are out of work, and deliver the relief state and local governments need — and Mainers deserve a senator who will fight for them.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.