Pelosi and Trump haven’t spoken in five months

[ad_1]

The two have not spoken since Pelosi stood up and left at an October 16 meeting after Trump railed at her and insulted her as a “third-grade politician.” Pelosi later said Trump had a “meltdown.”

Since then, the House impeached Trump, the President declined to shake her hand at the State of the Union, the speaker tore up his speech — and the President has leveled a litany of insults and even suggested she should be prosecuted.

But typically, during a time of crisis or amid national security concerns, leaders put aside their differences and talk. That has not happened with Trump, who has declined to brief the speaker amid major national security decisions, including before the killing of a top Iranian commander in January and a top ISIS leader in October.

Now the two haven’t spoken during the coronavirus crisis — even as Congress is moving to pass the third in a series of emergency measures, including a staggering, $2 trillion stimulus package awaiting final action.

Trump was asked on Monday when the last time he spoke with Pelosi and said, “Well, it’s — it’s been a little while.” However, he also indicated that he might be willing to meet with her saying, “I want what’s good for the country. And if that means meeting, I think that’s great.”

Pelosi has been negotiating with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin instead — and the two of them were responsible for the second massive package, which included paid leave policies, free coronavirus testing and more Medicaid dollars to states.

As that second package was awaiting final House action, CNN asked Pelosi why she didn’t talk to Trump during the course of her talks with Mnuchin. “There was no need for that,” Pelosi said 10 days ago.

Pelosi went on to say she and Mnuchin were talking about specific agencies, rules and programs and added: “So we had to speak shorthand to each other about those things. So it was better to go that route.”

[ad_2]

Source link