The president of USA Donald Trump rejected on Tuesday evening a bill that would have provided $900 billion in aid to support the US economy, which has been hit hard by the impact of pandemic of the new coronavirus, which was adopted the previous day by the US Congress after months of deadlock, saying that it was not «what he expected», describing its provisions as «a real disgrace» and demanding, among other things, an increase in the amount of subsidies granted by the state to families.
«I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low amount of $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for each couple. I also ask Congress to remove useless and costly elements of this bill,» Trump said in a video posted on his social media account. Twitter.
The plan adopted by US lawmakers on Monday, which is essential to get the US economy back on track, provides for spending to support households and companies affected by the new coronavirus pandemic. But it cannot be implemented without the signature of the country's president.
The latter made it clear in the video that he is not willing to sign the bill unless the changes he demands are made.
Ο Republican The tycoon demanded that he be sent a modified, «satisfactory» version of the bill, without which he may leave it to the next government to approve an economic recovery plan.
«They call it aid for COVID but has almost nothing to do with COVID,» according to the US president, who criticized the fact that the text includes provisions for providing aid to Cambodia and Myanmar, but also to the Egyptian army, which, as Trump pointedly added, «will go and buy almost exclusively Russian military equipment» with the money it receives.
He also pointed out that the text includes millions of dollars in funding for programs to «promote democracy and other such things» in Pakistan, as well as funding for cultural institutions in the US.
On Sunday, after months of deadlock, the Democrats and the Republicans announced that they had reached an agreement in principle on this draft law, which includes financial assistance for families affected by the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses and schools, additional unemployment benefits of $300 per week, and a sum to ensure the fair distribution of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2.
The world's largest economy plunged into a deep recession in the spring, the worst since the 1930s, due to the shutdown of activity to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, which triggered a huge increase in unemployment.
The pandemic has seen a new surge since the fall, halting job creation and the resumption of activity in the summer.
The first colossal economic stimulus package, worth $2.2 trillion, was passed under emergency procedures at the end of March, when the US was hit by the first wave.
It included unemployment benefits of $600 per week and a $1,200 check per adult for affected families.
