President Trump signaled Monday that he’s open to a second stimulus check for Americans still reeling financially from the coronavirus pandemic and the related economic lockdown.
Asked during an interview by Scripps reporter Joe St. George whether he plans to give another cash payment to some Americans, Trump said: “Yeah we are. We are.”
“We will be doing another stimulus package,” he added. “It’ll be very good, it’ll be very generous.”
Trump declined to say how much money Americans could see. “You’ll find out about,” he said. “You’ll find out.”
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The White House has not officially taken a stance on a second stimulus payment. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, while testifying before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, suggested the administration is exploring sending another check to some Americans.
“I think we’re going to seriously look at whether we want to do more direct money to stimulate the economy,” he said at the time.
But some Trump economic advisers, like Art Laffer and Stephen Moore, have questioned the need for additional spending, sounding the alarm on what is expected to be the highest deficit in the nation’s history. They’ve instead called for deregulation efforts, including a payroll tax cut.
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It’s unclear what specific policies the White House is exploring, but there are several proposals — from Democrats and Republicans alike — on the table that would get money directly into the hands of a significant number of Americans.
One such package, the $3 trillion HEROES Act passed by House Democrats in May, would send another round of $1,200 checks to American adults and children and expand the number of people who are eligible to receive the government aid. One criticism of the CARES Act, which sent up to $1,200 to Americans earning less than $75,000, was that it did not include older teens and college students.
