Pelosi slams Trump for 'putting himself first' by halting Covid stimulus talks

Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Donald Trump for pulling the plug on coronavirus economic stimulus talks, charging the president with "putting himself first at the expense of the country."

The California Democrat said the president was doing so "with the full complicity of the GOP members of Congress."

"Walking away from coronavirus talks demonstrates that President Trump is unwilling to crush the virus," Ms Pelosi said in a statement "He shows his contempt for science, his disdain for our heroes – in health care, first responders, sanitation, transportation, food workers, teachers and others – and he refuses to put money in workers' pockets, unless his name is printed on the cheque."

The president's sudden announcement sent US stock markets tumbling. They had been riding hopes of a new deal to further bolster what has been a sluggish economy since the virus started sweeping from coast to coast. The Dow Jones was down 500 points, but that drop had improved to about 280 points as of 3.30pm. It prompted the top House Democrat to contend Mr Trump is putting himself above the needs of his people.

"I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business," the president tweeted as he convalesced in the White House residence.

"Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19. We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am rejecting their......request, and looking to the future of our Country," Mr Trump wrote.

To be clear, no deal was in the offing when Mr Trump cemented his position on Tuesday.

Mr Trump for months has accused Ms Pelosi of negotiating in bad faith and pushing what he has described as an unreasonable liberal wish-list during the talks.

She claims he sent White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, a former conservative congressman from North Carolina, to keep an eye on Mr Mnuchin and prevent him from cutting a deal that Democrats could call a victory on the campaign trail.

A Pelosi aide confirmed the talks had been formally delayed in a tweet later in the day.

“The Secretary confirmed that the President has walked away from COVID talks,” wrote spokesman Drew Hammill. “The Speaker expressed her disappointment in the President’s decision to abandon the economic & health needs of the American people.”