Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has said that the White House declined a $2 trillion COVID-19 package, as the last-ditch talks between Democrats and the Donald Trump administration failed. The stimulus package was expected to revitalise the COVID-battered economy.

In a joint statement with Senator Chuck Shumer, Pelosi said, “Millions of Americans are still hurting and yet, despite this reality, President Trump and Republicans appear ready to walk away from the negotiating table to do unworkable, weak and narrow executive orders that barely scratch the surface of what is needed to defeat the virus and help struggling Americans.”

Disclosing the details of the closed-door meeting the speaker said that the Democrats had offered to bring down their $3.4 trillion price tag by $1 trillion if Republicans would agree to raise their roughly $1 trillion package by the same amount.

Meanwhile, President Trump threatened executive action to extend unemployment benefits, cut payroll taxes and forgive student debt if the Congress cannot pass a stimulus package.

“If Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage, I will act under my authority as president to get Americans the relief they need,’’ he said at a press conference.

With less than three months to go before the November presidential and congressional elections, the negotiations have ended up being partisan finger-pointing.

In March, the Congress had passed a $2.2 trillion plan to bolster the economy, which included a federal unemployment benefit of $600 a week, which expired in July.