Trump push on $2K checks flops as GOP-led Senate won’t vote

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all but shut the door on President Donald Trump's push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks, declaring Congress has provided enough pandemic aid as he blocked another attempt by Democrats to force a vote.

The GOP leader made clear Wednesday he is unwilling to budge, despite political pressure from Trump and even some fellow Republican senators demanding action. Trump wants the recent $600 in aid increased threefold. But McConnell dismissed the idea of bigger "survival checks" approved by the House, saying the money would go to plenty of American households that just don't need it.

McConnell's refusal to act means the additional relief Trump wanted is all but dead.

"We just approved almost a trillion dollars in aid a few days ago," McConnell said, referring to the year-end package Trump signed into law.

McConnell added, "if specific, struggling households still need more help," the Senate will consider "smart targeted aid. Not another firehose of borrowed money."

The showdown between the outgoing president and his own Republican Party over the $2,000 checks has thrown Congress into a chaotic year-end session just days before new lawmakers are set to be sworn into office.

It's one last standoff, together with the override of Trump's veto of a sweeping defense bill, that will punctuate the president's final days and deepen the GOP's divide between its new wing of Trump-styled populists and what had been mainstay conservative views against government spending.

Trump has been berating the GOP leaders, and tweeted, "$2000 ASAP!"

President-elect Joe Biden also supports the payments and wants to build on what he calls a "downpayment" on relief.

"In this moment of historic...