Trump is still up to his selfish ways, this time with the COVID-19 relief bill. Over the holiday weekend, Trump was the only person the nation could call on to stop a government shutdown from happening.
The government’s fate, the unemployment benefits for millions of laid-off workers, and the future state of our economy rested in Trump’s hands. The same hands he used to drive a golf cart this weekend.
It wasn’t until Sunday that Trump finally got around to signing a COVID-19 relief and government funding bill. It is still unknown why Trump waited so long to sign it, considering that his administration helped negotiate its terms, with his aides admitting that he had approved it days before, CNN reports.
According to the outlet, his sudden interest in signing the bill came too late to prevent unemployment aid from lapsing. The damage was done. Even though he signed it, his delay and rants over the stimulus payments to Americans and his frustration at Senate Republican leaders not only put the government on the brink, 30 hours from shutting down, but also worried millions of Americans.
The guessing game of what Trump will do next can be added to the growing list of his erratic behaviors. It’s not surprising that Trump continues to play suspenseful games or that he gives most of his attention to his dead-end efforts to overturn his election. We should realize it’s just not in Trump to man up, concede, and help America out at one of its most challenging times.
Over the weekend, Trump stayed in Florida, traveling to and from his namesake golf course. And it wasn’t just him vacationing. Vice President Mike Pence was skiing in Vail, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was off in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
After the bill’s signing, Trump released a statement that was more than likely an attempt to save face. He claims one of the trade-offs for endorsing the bill was that lawmakers would “focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election.” There is still no evidence to support his claim of widespread voter fraud.
Trump’s departure from office is less than a month away, and apparently, his unpredictable behavior is at an all-time high. He uses his executive powers to get back at his rivals and take the heat off his election loss.
As he heads out, his relationship with Senate Republicans becomes more strained, and the little trust and faith some people had in him and his administration continue to weaken.
As for now, he will remain in Florida until he returns to Washington to focus his attention yet again on overturning the election, which includes the January 6 Electoral College ratification.
