Trump Reportedly Backed Schumer’s Pitch To Eliminate Debt Ceiling Entirely

President Donald Trump speaks before signing a proclamation for a national day of prayer to occur on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump speaks before signing a proclamation for a national day of prayer to occur on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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During his meeting with congressional leaders on Wednesday, President Donald Trump supported a proposal from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to eliminate the need for Congress to vote to raise the debt ceiling altogether, according to several reports out Thursday.

Schumer suggested such a deal in the meeting, and Trump agreed that it was a good idea, according to the Washington Post, Politico, and Reuters. The two reached a “gentleman’s agreement,” a White House official told the Washington Post. Schumer said that Democrats would work on a proposal that could potentially come up for a vote in December, according to the reports.

Trump and Schumer reached an agreement to pursue this plan in the same meeting in which Trump backed Democrats’ proposal to tie Hurricane Harvey aid to legislation funding the government and raising the debt ceiling through mid-December.

The President then acknowledged to reporters on Thursday that he would consider eliminating the debt limit entirely.

“It could be discussed,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting when asked by reporters if he would be open to nixing the debt ceiling. “There are a lot of good reasons to do that.”

A plan to nix the need to vote on raising the debt ceiling could face opposition from Republicans. Conservatives in Congress regularly refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless it is paired with budget cuts.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Thursday rejected the idea of eliminating Congress’ need to vote on raising the debt ceiling.

“There’s a legitimate rule for the power of the purse in Article 1 powers, and that’s something we defend here in Congress,” he said at a press conference Thursday.

 

 

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for zsak zsak says:

    Trump is very concerned with stock market performance. Could this be a result of that?

  2. Do “Donald + Chuck” (2017) = “Ronnie + Tip” (1981)?

    I hope not.

  3. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Thursday rejected the idea of eliminating Congress’ need to vote on raising the debt ceiling.

    “There’s a legitimate rule for the power of the purse in Article 1 powers, and that’s something we defend here in Congress."

    The power of the purse deals with Congress establishing and voting on a budget. It does not say Congress can refuse to open its purse and not pay for what it’s already agreed to spend for the needs of the country.

  4. Rather unfair of that “pushy”† Sen. Schumer to take advantage of Donald when nobody’s been able to tell El Bufon what he thinks regarding the sacred Power Of The Purse!!!

    †-(Get it?, nudge,nudge, wink,wink)

  5. Ryan and his Freeedumb Caustic pals are getting their panties in a twist over nothing. This so-called president is the bigliest, bestest negotiator, the likes of which the world has never seen, and he will renegotiate the US debt. The problem is that, based on what we’ve seen to date, his ability to negotiate means that we will owe our creditors more than we currently do.

    Sad!

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