Donald Trump plans to send stimulus checks to workers, bail out airlines, hotels
Donald Trump, with Steven Mnuchin, meets with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill. Image via AP.

trump coronavirus
"The President wants them to get cash now. And by now I mean in the next two weeks."

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Tuesday they want the federal government to send checks to American workers and to bail out airlines and hotel companies because of the economic collapse from the new coronavirus outbreak.

At a White House press conference Tuesday, Trump and Mnuchin repeatedly refused to offer details of the $850 billion stimulus plan on the table, how much money might go to individual workers or businesses, or how it would be distributed. They said they remain in discussions with Republican leadership in the Senate and with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on various alternatives.

However, they pledged the checks and bailouts would be big and swift.

Mnuchin made it sounds as if Trump’s initial proposal for a payroll tax waiver is off the table as a vehicle for pumping money back into the economy. With Trump standing next to him at a press conference, Mnuchin said that proposal would take too long.

“Although the President likes the idea of a payroll tax holiday, I will tell what we have heard from many people, and the President has said we can consider this, a payroll tax holiday would get people money over the next six to eight months, we’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Mnuchin said.

“What we’ve heard from hard-working Americans, many companies have shut down, whether bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now. And the President wants them to get cash now. And by now I mean in the next two weeks,” he said.

Trump said that eliminating the payroll tax idea leaves four ways to send money to workers, but he did not elaborate. He and Mnuchin said details would be released after further conversations with congressional leaders.

“We don’t want to talk about it, but it’s a substantial number. We’re going big,” Trump said. “That’s the way [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell wants to go, the way I want to go, that’s the way we want to get it done.”

There likely would be some sort of income ceiling for people to qualify for the checks: “We don’t need to send people who make a million dollars checks,” Trump said.

They also would not discuss details for the planned airline and hotel company bail outs, but repeatedly said they do not want any of them going out of business.

There was no specific mention of other industries that are being hit hard by closures, including tourism-sector businesses like Florida’s cruise industry and theme parks and attractions. But they weren’t explicitly excluded, either.

Scott Powers

Scott Powers is an Orlando-based political journalist with 30+ years’ experience, mostly at newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel and the Columbus Dispatch. He covers local, state and federal politics and space news across much of Central Florida. His career earned numerous journalism awards for stories ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster to presidential elections to misplaced nuclear waste. He and his wife Connie have three grown children. Besides them, he’s into mystery and suspense books and movies, rock, blues, basketball, baseball, writing unpublished novels, and being amused. Email him at [email protected].


7 comments

  • Pedro

    March 17, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    Yippee, Trump is embracing Socialism!

  • Sonja Emily Fitch

    March 17, 2020 at 1:33 pm

    DO NOT LET THIS MORON HAVE AIR TIME. STUPID ORANGE IDOT JUST SAID ON TV ALL OF THIS WILL BE OVER IN 15 DAYS. AMENDMENT 25 OR AT LEAST LOCK HIM IN HIS BEDROOM. THIS IDIOT IS A DAMN DANGER TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE STUPID ORANGE IDIOT ALSO SAID THAT “HE DOESN’T THINK…..that social distance is necessary.” LOCK THIS DAMN LOUSY PARANOID LIAR UP….VOTE DEMOCRAT 2020.

    • FRANK WHITE

      March 17, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      YOUR A CUNT

      • MFranklin

        March 18, 2020 at 12:15 pm

        Wow! Totally unnecessary comment Mr. White.

    • MAGA!!KAGA!!

      March 18, 2020 at 10:11 am

      so i’m assuming you’ll return the $1000 when it hits your bank? Or donate to you’re favorite charity?

  • matt lusk

    March 17, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    More proof the power lies with the banksters. POOF! 1.5 trillion new dollars. Wake Up world.

  • Aron Vinson

    March 19, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    Im curious how this will affect me. I worked 10 years straight and in 2019 made just above 75000. Jan 8 I was let go by the company and now am only making 60% of what I was through unemployment. I also had job offers however now companies are chosing to wait to see what happens with economy. Way I see it I need it as bad as anyone. Does anyone know how this will affect me

Comments are closed.


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