The WH economic adviser does not rule out fresh negotiations with Democrats.
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow defended President Donald Trump’s executive actions on coronavirus relief on Sunday, saying the administration should take action after Democrats “rejected several compromises.”
“(The action) provides significant economic assistance,” he told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos about “This Week” in an interview with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who mentioned the orders – signed by the president on Saturday – “unworkable, weak and far too narrow. ”
“There are still a lot of difficulties, there are a lot of heartbreaks, and the point that President Trump made yesterday is that we – on several occasions – tried to get a compromise on unemployment benefits, for example,” Kudlow said.
“Because the Democrats reject various compromises, at least twice to my knowledge, the president felt he had to take action and it will be temporary action, and it will be temporary action … let’s help those who still need help. are, “he added.
Despite the executive action, Kudlow has not ruled out returning to the negotiating table with congressional Democrats.
“We did not say no to that,” he said.
Trump signed four executive actions on Saturday, extending some coronavirus relief measures to ongoing bilingual negotiations in Congress.
The measures included providing $ 300 a week to unemployed Americans – with state governments, in some cases, adding an additional $ 100. The figure is down from the $ 600 benefit that expired July 31st. Trump has also signed a mandate to extend a moratorium on eviction, a memorandum that would postpone student loan payments and another to create a tax break for those who make less than $ 100,000 annually.
While Kudlow claimed that the mandate of Trump will stop evictions, Stephanopoulos notes that the measure would not – it directs the administration only to find a way to help people and identify federal funds.
Trump’s top economic adviser disagreed with the characterization, saying it was “not entirely true.”
However, Stephanopoulos read directly from the executive action, Kudlow said, “It says’ such action can encourage and provide assistance to public housing authorities such as affordable housing holders, landlords and recipients of federal subsidy funds in minimizing evictions and foreclosures. “It’s not talking about extending the moratorium.”
“(The administration is) working through other agencies to spend some money on, for example, rental assistance and federal housing assistance,” Kudlow said.
“That, it just says there will be a review. I can tell you, George, the intent is that the review will prevent any expulsions,” he added.
While Trump also promised to turn the proposed tax bill into a permanent cut if he wins reelection, no president has the power to waive tax cuts without involving Congress.
“Maybe we’ll go to court,” Kudlow Stephanopoulos said. “In any case, we will continue with our actions. Our law firm, the Treasury Department, believes it has the authority to suspend tax filings temporarily.”
The proposed tax bill has drawn criticism from some Republicans who question its legitimacy, with sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Called the executive actions “unconstitutional slop.”
Earlier on “This Week”, Schumer had criticized the proposal, saying Stephanopoulos said a permanent cut in tax revenue would take money out of Social Security and Medicare funds.
“If you are a recipient of Social Security or a recipient of Medicare, you need to be more careful when President Trump is re-elected,” Schumer said.
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Elizabeth Thomas contributed to this report.
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