Trump says payroll tax cut is vital part of next COVID-19 relief bill
Top Republicans meet with President Trump and White House officials on how to move forward with another stimulus package; reaction and analysis on 'Outnumbered.'
President Trump on Thursday claimed Republicans “didn’t want to ask” for a payroll tax cut in the next coronavirus bill due to Democrats’ objections to his top ask for the stimulus package, saying they are “hurting” Americans “as usual.”
The president, for weeks, said a payroll tax cut was his top priority for the next coronavirus stimulus package, and even suggested during a Fox News Sunday interview last week that he would consider not signing a bill that did not include the provision.
PAYROLL TAX CUT WON'T BE INCLUDED IN FOURTH CORONAVIRUS PACKAGE
“The Democrats have stated strongly that they won’t approve a Payroll Tax Cut (too bad!) It would be great for workers,” Trump tweeted Thursday. “The Republicans, therefore, didn’t want to ask for it.”
He added: “Dems, as usual, are hurting the working men and women of our Country!”
The president’s tweet came after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday morning said the president’s requested payroll tax cut would not be included in the fourth coronavirus bill, while hinting a fifth package could be on the horizon.
Mnuchin was asked Thursday by reporters whether the payroll tax cut would be included, to which is replied: “Not in this, but we’re gonna come back again.”
“You know, there may be a CARES 5.0,” Mnuchin said. “The president is very focused on getting money quickly to workers right now. And the payroll tax takes time. So we'll come back and look at that.”
MCCONNELL SAYS ECONOMY NEEDS 'ANOTHER SHOT OF ADRENALINE' IN NEXT CORONAVIRUS PACKAGE
Meanwhile, Mnuchin said the administration and Republican lawmakers are looking to replace the current pandemic unemployment insurance program, slated to expire at the end of the month, with a reduced 70 percent wage replacement.
The Trump administration and Republicans are currently pushing a package with a price tag of $1 trillion, but Mnuchin has said that they “will spend what we need to spend” to get the right package passed and signed.
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