Pelosi snaps at reporter who mentions Trump: 'Don't waste your time or mine on what he says'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a swipe at President Trump in a new interview as she and fellow Democrats are plowing forward with another massive coronavirus relief package -- that would need his signature.
The House is expected to come back next week to pass a multitrillion-dollar effort to help Americans hard-hit by the economic and health crisis. But unlike the previous four relief packages that had broad bipartisan support, this legislation is proving more contentious.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a C-SPAN interview that aired Friday night, the animosity between Pelosi and Trump was on display. Anchor Steve Scully asked Pelosi whether Trump is part of the coronavirus legislation negotiations.
"I don't have any idea what the President does," Pelosi said.
"He said that the House is on vacation," Scully responded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You know what -- don't waste your time or mine on what he says," Pelosi shot back at the C-SPAN anchor.
"We are trying to get a job done for the American people in a way that brings people together," Pelosi, D-Calif., continued. "We certainly have our differences of opinion. We have a strong agreement that we have a responsibility to meet the needs of the American people."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump and Republicans have been cool to the latest round of coronavirus relief legislation, arguing they should wait until the $3 trillion in relief that already passed is implemented. As more of the country reopens, Trump also believes the major economic slump will rebound.
"We're in no rush," Trump said Friday of new legislation.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, Trump has been railing against Pelosi for keeping the House in recess during the pandemic due to public health concerns, although leadership has already negotiated and passed four major pieces of coronavirus relief since March without being in regular session.
Trump and House Republicans had been pressuring Pelosi to reconvene the House. The Senate went back to Washington, D.C., this week, but Pelosi postponed the return on the advice of the Capitol physician.
In past coronavirus relief packages, Trump and Pelosi didn't talk directly. Instead, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin negotiated on behalf of the White House, and the four bills got huge bipartisan support.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It’s possible Democrats could go it alone on this measure -- even though House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., indicated he did not want to vote on a bill just to “send a message.”