Another day of White House’s talks with congressional Democrats on a new round of coronavirus relief. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows says President Trump is ready to act on his own when it comes to extended unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums.
One of the White House’s lead negotiators in talks with congressional Democrats on a new round of coronavirus relief and some Senate Republicans said they viewed Friday as the deadline to reach a deal or drop talks. Officials drew lines in the sand on Wednesday after more than a week of discussions between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “I’ve become extremely doubtful that we will be able to make a deal if it goes well beyond Friday,” Meadows said before the sides met on Wednesday. “Just because we’ve been spending so much time together, if you’re not making progress, there’s no sense to continue.” Republican Senator Roy Blunt said that is what his colleagues had been told to prepare for: “If there’s not a deal by Friday, there won’t be a deal.”