Donald Trump: I've directed Steven Mnuchin to get ready to send direct payments to families, states

President Trump tweets he has directed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to get ready to send direct payments to families and states as the coronavirus stimulus talks remain at a stalemate. CNBC’s Eamon Javers reports. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/2NGeIvi

President Donald Trump agitated Friday for coronavirus aid, after Congress left town following more than two weeks of flailing in efforts to boost the U.S. economy and health-care system.

Trump, who has not personally joined in pandemic relief talks this month, pushed for direct payments to Americans, small business loan funding, state and local government relief and rental assistance payments. The policies Trump backed in a series of tweets and in a later news conference would need congressional approval. The plans have appeared in some form in the aid packages lawmakers have proposed since May.

The president’s comments underscore the pressure he faces to provide assistance to Americans during a year in which his inability to contain the virus has hindered his reelection prospects. Trump tried to get more involved in the effort Friday, a week after talks between his administration and Democratic leaders collapsed.

As the stalemate in Washington drags on, Trump took executive action to temporarily extend extra unemployment benefits, offer protections from eviction, sustain existing student loan aid and create a payroll tax holiday. The orders are limited in scope. Some may not be constitutional because Congress controls federal spending.

Both chambers of Congress have left for their August recesses and do not plan to return until September unless they strike a coronavirus aid agreement. The lack of a deal leaves millions of Americans in financial peril, as a $600 per week federal unemployment benefit, a moratorium on evictions and the window to apply for Paycheck Protection Program small business loans have all expired. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has warned a lack of fiscal stimulus could jeopardize the U.S. economic recovery.

In his tweets Friday, Trump claimed he is “ready” to take action on stimulus checks, state and municipal aid and small business loans. But on every issue, he contended, “DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP!”

Speaking to reporters later, he clarified that he did not plan to take unilateral action on those issues, but instead was “waiting for the Democrats to approve” the policies.

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