Peter Navarro on stalled coronavirus relief bill: Pelosi appears to be the ‘obstacle’
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro weighs in on Democrats and Republicans being at odds over the next coronavirus relief bill on ‘America’s Newsroom.’
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for the stalled negotiations on the next round of coronavirus relief, calling her “the obstacle.”
“I think she is gambling that if the economy is bad, President Trump loses and she gains power,” Navarro told “America’s Newsroom” on Thursday. “And that kind of calculus, if there is any truth to that at all, that has no place in this great country.”
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have attempted to convince Republicans to meet them in the middle of the Democrats' more than $3 trillion proposal and the Republicans' opening $1 trillion offer – at just over $2 trillion – but the idea has been a nonstarter with Republicans, who have indicated they have little interest in passing another multitrillion-dollar spending bill after passing the $2.2 trillion CARES Act earlier this year.
“Nancy Pelosi is the problem here,” Navarro said, adding that there are “a lot of people in her party who want a deal because they understand the pain and suffering of the people in this country, whether it's not having a job or whether facing eviction or foreclosure.”
The Labor Department's payroll report released earlier this month showed the jobless rate fell sharply to 8.4%, down from 10.2% in June and a peak of 14.7% in April.
While the economic outlook has brightened a bit recently, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated on Wednesday that the economy likely still needs more fiscal support.
Powell said that “if there isn't additional support, and there isn't a job for some of those people who are from industries where it's going to be very hard to find new work, then … that will start to show up in economic activity.”
On Tuesday, the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus released a $1.5 trillion coronavirus plan that worked out some of the thorniest divisions between Democrats and Republicans in an effort to jump-start relief to Americans still reeling from the health and economic crisis.
Among the highlights of the $1.5 trillion plan is $120 billion for enhanced unemployment aid through January 2021 at a rate of $450 weekly for an eight-week transition period until states can reconfigure to the new system that would provide up to $600 weekly, but not to exceed 100% of the previous wage.
The plan also includes $280 billion for another round of direct stimulus checks worth $1,200 for adults and $500 for children and $290 billion for small business and nonprofit assistance, which would include $240 billion for another round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.
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Speaking on “Fox & Friends” on Thursday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows encouraged the $1.5 trillion coronavirus plan to be used “as a foundation for new negotiations.”
Meadows also indicated that President Trump “was certainly willing to embrace the $1.5 trillion number that was put out in the last day or so.”
On Thursday President Trump tweeted, “Democrats only want BAILOUT MONEY for Blue States that are doing badly. They don’t care about the people, never did!”
“I'm not sure what's going on with Pelosi, but there is definitely a deal to be done whether it's 1.5 or something else,” Navarro said on Thursday.
Speaking on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Pelosi insisted Democrats have “compromised.”
“We came down a trillion dollars, we asked them [Republicans] to go up a trillion dollars, instead they went down not recognizing the need,” Pelosi said.
She also said that moderate Democrats, especially those in swing districts, who have been pushing for a more narrow coronavirus bill, “don’t say it to me.”
“What they say is, ‘We need to have a solution,’” Pelosi continued.
One of the boldest efforts of revolt came Tuesday when the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus revealed their $1.5 trillion coronavirus relief plan, with 25 Democrats breaking with their leadership and joining 25 Republicans on the compromise proposal.
Pelosi confirmed on Thursday that Democrats will stay in Washington, D.C., until a deal is reached on a coronavirus relief proposal.
The House is traditionally out of town for much of late September and October as members scatter to their districts for their reelection campaigns.
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Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment regarding Navarro’s belief that she is the “problem.”
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Tyler Olson, Mike Emanuel and Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.
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