White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow made an eyebrow-raising statement Thursday that President Donald Trump is not interested in voting rights protections in the next pandemic relief package.
Democrats are “asking too much money ― $3.5 trillion. We’ve already spent over $3 trillion,” Kudlow told CNBC.
He added: “So much of the Democratic asks are really liberal left wish lists. We don’t want to have voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth. That’s not our game, and the president can’t accept that kind of deal.”
Many Americans are looking to mail-in ballots for a safer alternative to waiting in line at crowded polling places. The U.S. hit its deadliest summer day of coronavirus deaths on Wednesday with less than three months to the general election.
In recent weeks, the White House fueled fears that it will seek to disrupt and delay the mail-in voting process. Trump has repeatedly pushed conspiracy theories linking mail-in voting to rampant voter fraud, despite a lack of evidence.
Kudlow’s comments echoed those of Trump himself, who appeared to admit that he was in favor of shortchanging the U.S. Postal Service in order to kneecap mail-in voting during the pandemic.
Negotiations on a fresh round of aid have been stalled for days. Millions of Americans live under the threat of eviction as a $600-per-week enhanced unemployment benefit expired, as did the Paycheck Protection Program and housing protections.
Over the weekend, Trump touted executive actions that he said would provide some aid, but they effectively slash the enhanced unemployment benefit to $300 and merely encourage states and federal agencies to consider suspending evictions.
The eviction crisis may compound voting problems if some Americans are suddenly required to register in a new area or lack reliable transportation.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that the two sides remain “miles apart” on a new package.