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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 7 OctOber 2020
Trump halts COVID-19 relief talks until after election

By AAMER MADHANI and governments as a key rea-
ANDREW TAYLOR son for pulling out of the
Associated Press talks. Pelosi and Mnuchin
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- were far apart on that issue
dent Donald Trump on — with Trump offering $250
Tuesday called an abrupt billion while Pelosi was hold-
end to negotiations with ing out for more than $400
Democrats over additional billion. And Pelosi was ask-
COVID-19 relief, delaying ing for a higher weekly job-
action until after the elec- less benefit and refundable
tion despite ominous warn- tax credits for the working
ings from his own Federal poor, among other provi-
Reserve chairman about sions.
the deteriorating condi- The negotiations started
tions in the economy. in July and were on pause
Trump tweeted that House for weeks before recently
Speaker Nancy Pelosi was reheating. Pelosi was insist-
"not negotiating in good ing on an aid package ex-
faith" and said he's asked ceeding $2 trillion — rough-
Senate Majority Leader ly the cost of the landmark
Mitch McConnell to direct CARES Act in March. Trump
all his focus before the said Pelosi's offer was $2.4
election into confirming his trillion.
U.S. Supreme Court nomi- The White House is seen in Washington, early Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, the morning after President Early rounds of COVID re-
nee, Amy Coney Barrett. Donald Trump returned from the hospital where he was treated for COVID-19. lief passed by overwhelm-
"I have instructed my repre- Associated Press ing margins as the econo-
sentatives to stop negotiat- my went into lockdown in
ing until after the election reelection without deliver- prospects for a deal. economic recovery re- March. After that, Trump
when, immediately after ing aid to voters — such Last week, the White House mains fragile seven months and many of his GOP allies
I win, we will pass a major as a pre-election batch of said it was backing a $400 into coronavirus pandemic focused more on loosen-
Stimulus Bill that focuses on $1,200 direct payments, or per week pandemic jobless without further economic ing social and economic
hardworking Americans "Trump checks," to most in- benefit and dangled the stimulus. restrictions as the key to
and Small Business," Trump dividuals — even as the na- possibility of a COVID-19 Stocks dropped suddenly recovery instead of more
tweeted. tional jobless rate is about relief bill of $1.6 trillion. But on Wall Street after Trump taxpayer-funded aid.
The unexpected turn could 8% with millions facing the that offer was rejected by ordered a stop to nego- Still, the decision to halt
be a blow to Trump's re- threat of eviction. Pelosi. tiations. The Dow Jones In- negotiations could be po-
election prospects and Trump's move came im- Pelosi had spoken with dustrial Average swung in- litically risky with just four
comes as his administra- mediately after he spoke Mnuchin earlier Tuesday. stantly from a gain of about weeks to go before Elec-
tion and campaign are in with the top GOP leaders After Trump's tweets spik- 200 points to a loss of about tion Day. While the stock
turmoil. Trump is quarantin- in Congress, who had been ing the negotiations, Pelosi 300 points. market has clawed much
ing in the White House with warily watching talks be- said Trump was "unwilling to Powell, in remarks before of its way back after cra-
a case of COVID, and the tween Treasury Secretary crush the virus" and "refuses the National Association for tering in the early weeks of
latest batch of opinion polls Steven Mnuchin and Pelosi. to give real help to poor Business Economics, made the crisis, unemployment
shows him significantly be- Many Senate Republicans children, the unemployed, clear that too little support stands at 7.9%, and the
hind former Vice President had signaled they would and America's hard work- "would lead to a weak re- nearly 10 million jobs that
Joe Biden with the election not be willing to go along ing families." covery, creating unnec- remain lost since the start
four weeks away. with any stimulus legisla- Trump broke off talks after essary hardship for house- of the pandemic exceed
The collapse also means tion that topped $1 trillion, Federal Reserve Chairman holds and businesses." the number that the nation
that Trump and down-bal- and GOP aides had been Jerome Powell warned Trump cited Pelosi's de- shed during the entire 2008-
lot Republicans will face privately dismissive of the earlier Tuesday that the mands for state and local 09 Great Recession.q

Report: Chris Christie 'knocked back,' 'not knocked down'

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — For- scary, of course, and that who works in scouting for
mer New Jersey Gov. Chris he's a prime target given the New York Mets, said his
Christie is "knocked back" his weight and a history of father remains in a COVID
but "not knocked down," asthma, according to the isolation room at the hospi-
while hospitalized with the newspaper. tal and is doing well.
coronavirus, the Star Led- Christie called to "rub (Mo- Christie announced Satur-
ger reported Monday. ran's) nose" in a mistake day morning that he tested
The newspaper's columnist he had made stemming positive a day after Presi-
Tom Moran reported he from Christie's 2012 visit to dent Donald Trump's own
spoke to the former GOP Jordan, according to the diagnosis. He was with the
governor for 10 minutes newspaper. president for debate prep
Monday. Christie sounded "So, for now, folks, let's not in Cleveland on Tuesday
raspy, but didn't want to worry too much. The man and at the Rose Garden
talk about details about his is knocked back, but he's event where Trump named In this Nov. 29, 2017 file photo, New Jersey. Gov. Chris Chris-
health or his treatment, ac- not knocked down," Mo- Judge Amy Coney Barrett tie speaks during a news conference in Newark, N.J. Christie
cording to the article. ran wrote. Andrew Christie, as his pick for the Supreme tweeted on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, that he has tested positive
Christie said the virus is the former governor's son, Court on Sept. 26.q for COVID-19.
Associated Press