US President Donald Trump said he wants an even bigger stimulus than what Democrats have offered so far, seeming to undercut his own negotiators, who had prepared a US$1.8 trillion (S$2.4 trillion) offer to make to House Speaker cy Pelosi on Friday.
"I would like to see a bigger stimulus package, frankly, than either the Democrats or the Republicans are offering," Mr Trump said on Rush Limbaugh's radio programme, saying he is going in the "exact opposite" direction from his earlier stances.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was heading into talks with Ms Pelosi on Friday carrying a White House offer of US$1.8 trillion for economic stimulus, according to people familiar with the matter.
Ms Pelosi has proposed a US$2.2 trillion plan, down from the US$3.4 trillion package the House passed in May, but several Republicans in Congress have said they would oppose any plan approaching that size.
"I'm telling you something I don't tell anybody else because maybe it helps or maybe it hurts negotiations," Mr Trump told Mr Limbaugh. "I would like to see a bigger package."
It's an about-face by Mr Trump, who said last Tuesday he was pulling out of the pandemic relief talks. It comes with the election three weeks away and polls showing him trailing Democrat Joe Biden.
Stocks had climbed to session highs on Friday on the first reports of the White House raising its offer on coronavirus relief, but failed to gain further steam from Mr Trump's latest twist.
There is still scepticism about whether a deal can be cut and transformed into legislation before election day.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier on Friday that there is probably not enough time before the election to bridge the "vast" differences on a new virus relief package. "I believe that we do need another rescue package, but the proximity to the elections and the differences of opinion about what is needed are pretty vast," he said.
He afterwards told newsmen that even if an agreement on stimulus is reached, his first priority is securing Senate confirmation of Mr Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court. Hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett are scheduled to begin tomorrow with a final Senate vote as soon as next week.
If Ms Pelosi and Mr Mnuchin get an agreement, Congress would then likely need two weeks or more to draft legislative text and approve it in the House and Senate. The Senate is on recess until Oct 19 and the House until mid-November, but legislators have been told they can be called back with 24 hours notice to vote on any stimulus deal.
LATEST TWIST
I'm telling you something I don't tell anybody else because maybe it helps or maybe it hurts negotiations.
I would like to see a bigger package.
UNITED STATES PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, on a radio programme.
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