Trump supports second ‘very generous’ coronavirus stimulus package

President Trump said he supported the idea of giving Americans a “very generous” second round of financial aid to counter the effect of the shutdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.

“We will be doing another stimulus package, it will be very good, very generous,” the president told Scripps Networks on Monday, adding that the bipartisan measure would probably come “over the next couple of weeks.”

When asked by Washington correspondent Joe St. George how much money people will receive with the next stimulus bill, Trump said, “You’ll find out about it,” the Denver Channel reported.

In legislation the president signed into law in March, Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed to provide direct payments of up to $1,200 each to millions of citizens, with additional payments of $500 per child.

Another $3 trillion bill that passed the House of Representatives on May 15 contains a second round of economic stimulus payments of up to $6,000 per American household.

But the GOP-controlled Senate has not taken up the House package and lawmakers are not expected to move toward another coronavirus bill until next month.

Three people familiar with internal administration deliberations told the Washington Post that the president has told aides he believes another round of stimulus checks will boost the economy and help his chances at re-election.

But leading congressional Republicans and some senior Team Trump officials remain skeptical of sending more financial aid, creating a schism in conservative circles that could have a big impact on the stimulus package, according to the paper, which noted that the White House has not officially taken a position on the issue.

With Post wires