Trump favors more coronavirus aid to U.S. states, but in later bill

[April 20, 2020]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he favors more coronavirus relief aid for state and local governments, but that will be for a future package to be negotiated with Congress, not in the one that is being negotiated now.

President Donald Trump attends the daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) task force briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 19, 2020. REUTERS/Al Drago

"We will be saving that for another time," Trump said at a White House briefing in response to a question about Democrats' request for more aid to state and local governments.

"I'm in favor of it," he said.

Trump said earlier that Republicans and Democrats were close to agreement on legislation to help the economy recover from harm caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Tom Hogue)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.