Politics & Government

Trump Halts Coronavirus Relief Talks Until After The Election

by Amita Kelly

President Trump leaves Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Monday. He announced Tuesday he was pausing negotiations on a coronavirus relief package.
President Trump leaves Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Monday. He announced Tuesday he was pausing negotiations on a coronavirus relief package. Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images

Updated at 3:16 p.m. ET

President Trump says he has ordered his representatives to stop talks with Democrats on a new round of COVID-19 aid until after the election.

In a series of tweets, Trump said he has rejected Democrats' latest stimulus proposal because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "is not negotiating in good faith."

The tweets came on a day when Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell urged more stimulus to help the economy recover from the recession caused by the pandemic.

Talks have been stalled for months, and lawmakers remain far apart on how much should be included in the next round of stimulus.

Trump said he would pass a "major stimulus bill" right after the election and urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to push ahead with confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.

Trump made the announcement during his first full day back at the White House after a weekend at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He is continuing to receive treatment for COVID-19.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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