The Democrats and negotiators of the White House have not been able to reach a deal and this is delaying the much-needed help for millions of Americans who have lost their jobs and are facing evictions. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who calls himself a master dealmaker was not in Washington.
Trump had backed off at the end of last week and retreated to his private club in New Jersey, where he witnessed his poll numbers against former vice president Joe Biden sliding, and the White House failing to force Democrats to reach a deal that would address growing concerns of the American people who have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic and its influence on the businesses.
Frustrated by the situation, and his own terrible political collapse, Trump resorted to doing what has become a habit for the president when he faces a political dilemma. He asked his aides to take executive actions to sign and asked his team to call the press, hoping to turn the failure back in Washington, POLITICO reported.
Much to the delight of club members donning polo shirts and golf cleats, Trump presented back-to-back shows in his property's ballroom. The executive actions and news conferences were similar to other times when the president decided to act on his own after failing to reach a deal, such as declaring a national emergency to receive funds for the border wall and concluding an argument over funding that closed down the government.
While the speeches and signings indicated progress, it is not clear whether the power of pen will be able to address the financial concerns of millions of American people amid the still-raging coronavirus pandemic. Multiple questions have already been raised about the legality of the measures, and how the administration plans to fund it.
Trump's aides admitted that executive actions weren't likely to address the economic crisis, but the president was bent on convincing the public otherwise. Keeping in line with that, Trump appeared in a ballroom of his club on Friday and threatened Congress that he would act on his own if a deal wasn't made.
This remark comes when there were no more plans for negotiation, and his aides were preparing executive actions for him to sign. The president came to the podium on Sunday, carrying four folders filled with official documents to sign. He claimed that his action would address pretty much the entire situation and insisted that coronavirus was disappearing.