Trump Signs Covid Stimulus and Spending Bill

President Trump has signed the stimulus/Covid relief package into law after a week of declaring he would not.

WaPo:

President Trump late Sunday signed the stimulus bill into law, three people briefed on his decision said, averting a Tuesday government shutdown. His decision to back down and sign the measure will release $900 billion in stimulus funds into the economy that had been held up for nearly a week.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose Trump’s move, which took place while Trump was vacationing in Florida. They said the president had repeatedly changed his mind on the matter.

Trump’s new decision to sign the bill came less than a week after he demanded changes to it. He had suggested he would refuse to sign it into law unless those demands were met. On Tuesday, he referred to the bill as a “disgrace.” It was unclear what prompted him to change his mind late Sunday, but he was under tremendous pressure from Republicans to acquiesce.

The government would have shut down on Tuesday if Trump didn’t act. In addition to containing money to fund government operations, the spending package also includes emergency relief money that finances a new round of stimulus checks, unemployment aid, and small business assistance, among other things.

Before the signed the bill, Trump hinted Sunday evening that there had been a development. He tweeted that there was “Good news on Covid Relief Bill. Information to follow!”