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PALM BEACH, Florida: President Donald Trump spent Christmas Day playing golf at his West Palm Beach club as millions of Americans faced the risk of losing unemployment benefits on Saturday (December 26) and the threat of a shutdown part of the government next week if it refuses to sign a $ 2.3 trillion spending and aid package for the coronavirus.
Trump surprised members of both parties when he unexpectedly announced this week his dislike of the spending bill, which had taken members of Congress months to negotiate. The bill provides $ 892 billion in coronavirus aid and $ 1.4 trillion in regular government appropriations.
A source familiar with the situation said many White House officials were caught off guard. While Trump’s strategy to advance the bill is unclear, he could still sign the package given that he has not made an explicit veto threat.
Trump, who had not objected to the terms before the House and Senate votes, complained that the package was too full of money for special interests and foreign aid, and said the $ 600 in direct payments to most Americans were too small, requiring that the amount be increased to $ 2,000.
On Christmas Day, Trump spent most of the day playing golf, with his close ally and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, according to a source familiar with his activities. In a tweet, he said that he has had many phone calls and meetings at his golf club and urged lawmakers to give more money to the people.
“Why wouldn’t politicians want to give people $ 2,000, instead of just $ 600? It wasn’t their fault, it was China. Give the money to our people!” he said, referring to the coronavirus, which originated last year in China.
The bill is now at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida resort, where he spends the holidays, awaiting his decision. Without Trump’s signature on the coronavirus relief bill, about 14 million people will lose unemployment benefits on Saturday and a partial government shutdown will begin on Tuesday.
On Christmas Eve, Trump tweeted a series of complaints, repeating unsubstantiated claims about the election result, including one directed at Senate Republicans, whom he accuses of abandoning him because many now publicly recognize Biden as the winner.
On Christmas Day, Trump followed up his tweet about aid payments to Americans with a series of posts, lashing out at the media in two with shouts of “fake news” when he said he was going to hold a video conference with members of the military. . .
LEE: COVID-19 aid at risk as US lawmakers block Trump’s changes
Separately, the White House said Trump was briefed on the explosion of a vehicle in Nashville on Saturday morning that injured three people in what police described as an “intentional act.”
Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, whose victory Trump still refuses to acknowledge nearly two months after the Nov. 3 election, spent the day at his Delaware home and had no public events, according to his staff. Biden will take office on January 20.
CONGRESS TO RETURN
Americans face an unprecedented Christmas season amid a pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 people in the United States, with a daily death toll now repeatedly exceeding 3,000, the highest since the pandemic began.
Trump this week granted dozens of pardons, including former aides and four private security guards convicted of killing unarmed Iraqi civilians.
Meanwhile, Congress, which normally stands in the last week of December, will prepare to go back to work.
On Monday after Christmas weekend, the House is scheduled to vote on overriding Trump’s veto on a $ 740 billion bill authorizing the nation’s defense programs. If the House vote is successful, the Senate could hold its vote on Tuesday.
Trump could also choose to take advantage of a situation known as a “pocket veto,” rather than outright vetoing the coronavirus aid package.
Because the current Congress expires on January 3, Trump could let the normal 10-day period a president has to sign or veto a bill to run out. Bills die if they are not enacted during the Congress in which they are introduced.
If he issues a veto, the House and Senate could try to override it next week. Congress may also have to pass an interim spending bill on Monday, before the money that funds government operations expires at midnight.
Also Monday, the Democrat-controlled House plans to vote on legislation providing one-time checks of $ 2,000 to people to help them during the coronavirus pandemic.
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