White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Friday that President Trump has "approved" a "revised" coronavirus relief package, although it's not yet clear what that means. Negotiations over a coronavirus relief package have gripped Capitol Hill for weeks, but President Trump earlier this week slammed the door shut on a deal before the election, although he later walked it back.
"The president has approved a revised package," Kudlow said on Fox Business Friday morning. "He would like to do a deal."
Kudlow claimed they are putting the "final touches" on a package with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But Kudlow has not been intimately involved in negotiations on Capitol Hill, as has Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
The White House has rebuffed the idea of a large stimulus, but late Friday morning, the president tweeted, "Covid Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!"
Mr. Trump called off stimulus negotiations earlier this week, saying he had "instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election." Hours later, he tweeted urging Congress to pass aid in a series of standalone bills. The president's tweet calling off negotiations sent the markets tumbling, and puzzled many just weeks out from the election.
Pelosi's office declined to comment Friday because they said the new offer hadn't been presented to her yet. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also cast doubt on a potential deal, saying on Friday that he believed "the situation is kind of murky."
"I'd like to see us rise above that like we did back in March and April, but I think that's unlikely in the next three weeks," McConnell told reporters in Kentucky, referring to earlier bipartisan legislation.
Pelosi said Thursday she would only consider a standalone bill if she received a guarantee that a larger bill would also be considered.
"There is no standalone bill without a bigger bill," Pelosi said. However, she said House Democrats were still interested in negotiating, adding "we want to continue the conversation."
A spokesperson for Pelosi said later Thursday that Pelosi and Mnuchin had spoken for 40 minutes that afternoon.
"The Speaker & Secretary Mnuchin spoke at 3:00 p.m. today for 40 minutes. Their conversation focused on determining whether there is any prospect of an imminent agreement on a comprehensive bill. The Secretary made clear the President's interest in reaching such an agreement," said Drew Hammill, Pelosi's deputy chief of staff. "The Speaker pointed out that, unfortunately, the White House Communications Director contradicted that assertion during their call. The Speaker trusts that the Secretary speaks for the President."
The House last week passed a $2.4 trillion relief bill that would restore a popular benefit providing an additional $600 per week on top of unemployment benefits, deliver another round of direct payments and provide funding for schools and state and local jurisdiction. The legislation was a slimmed-down version of a $3.4 trillion bill the House initially passed in May.
But McConnell has indicated the Senate would be unwilling to consider any legislation that cost more than $2 trillion, deriding the House bill's price tag as "outlandish" and "too high."
Mr. Trump remains at the White House, where he is recovering from COVID-19 but might soon begin campaigning once again.