Donald Trump blasts Republicans as WEAK, FOOLISH and DUMB for agreeing $1 trillion infrastructure deal with Democrats, and warns them they will face primaries if they vote in favor of the bill
Former President Trump blasted Senate Republicans on Wednesday evening as 'weak, foolish, and dumb' for agreeing an infrastructure deal with Democrats, potentially delivering a huge policy win for President Joe Biden.
In an angry statement, he said it would be used against them in the 2022 midterms and warned Republicans they would face primaries if they went along with it.
Plans for an infrastructure plans became a running joke in the Trump administration as the president repeatedly failed to make headway. As a result, some commentators believe the former president has been desperate to sabotage his successor's efforts.
Trump said it was hard to believe Senate Republicans were dealing with 'radical left Democrats.'
'This will be a victory for the Biden Administration and Democrats, and will be heavily used in the 2022 election,' he said in a statement
'It is a loser for the USA, a terrible deal, and makes the Republicans look weak, foolish, and dumb. It shouldn’t be done.'
President Trump has tried frequently to blow up any bipartisan agreement on an infrastructure deal. 'It is a loser for the USA, a terrible deal, and makes the Republicans look weak, foolish, and dumb. It shouldn’t be done,' he said on Wednesday evening
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell signaled that he was prepared to move the unfinished bill forward in a vote on Wednesday, after President Biden trumpeted the deal
Earlier Biden trumpeted an agreement a bipartisan Senate agreement on an infrastructure deal as proving 'democracy can function.'
It includes $110 billion for roads, $73 billion for power grid spending, $66 billion for railways, $65 billion to expand broadband access, $55 billion for clean drinking water, $50 billion for environmental resiliency, $39 billion for public transit, and $25 billion in airports, the White House said.
The deal paves the way for an even bigger, $3.5 trillion package of Medicare benefits, federal safety net programs and climate change mitigation that Democrats hope to pass in the face of Republican opposition.
But Trump said Republicans had set the stage for Biden to do what he likes and urged them to think about their own electoral prospects if they cross him.
'It sets an easy glidepath for Dems to then get beyond what anyone thought was possible in future legislation,' he said.
'It will be a continued destruction of our country.
'Our Borders are horrible, crime is at an all time high, taxes and inflation are going way up, the economy is going way down, and now this.
'Don’t do it Republicans - patriots will never forget! If this deal happens, lots of primaries will be coming your way!'
The early count suggests Trump may not be able to stop the bill proceeding to the next stage.
At least 10 Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who tweeted his support, appear ready to advance an unfinished bill to the next stage.
That is expected on Wednesday night.
In a statement after Republican Sen. Rob Portman first announced agreement on the main issues Biden said: 'I am pleased to join a bipartisan group of United States Senators and announce our deal to make the most significant long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century.
'This deal signals to the world that our democracy can function, deliver, and do big things. As we did with the transcontinental railroad and the interstate highway, we will once again transform America and propel us into the future.
McConnell suggested he was ready to move the bill forward on Wednesday night
''This deal signals to the world that our democracy can function,' said President Joe Biden, after a bipartisan group announced a deal on infrastructure
'This deal makes key investments to put people to work all across the country—in cities, small towns, rural communities, and across our coastlines and plains.'
He spoke after the negotiators reached agreement on the major components of a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, clearing the way for a procedural vote on Wednesday to move toward formal debate and passage, a Republican lawmaker said.
'We now have agreement on the major issues. We are prepared to move forward,' Portman, the lead Republican negotiator in infrastructure talks, told reporters after a meeting with McConnell.
Portman said the bill would be paid for, meaning it would not have a negative budget impact.
The deal brings possible action on a major spending priority for the president, who has long touted his decades spent in the Senate and his ability to bring Democrats and Republicans to the table.
It includes $550 billion in new infrastructure spending, a figure that grows to $1 trillion when other planned projects are included. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said there was $65 billion on broadband and broadband affordability, NBC reported.
It would include $66 billion for rail, and $55 billion for drinking water. According to the White House, the deal would get paid for through unspent funds from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus package, plus user fees and even efforts to crack down on enforcement of taxes on transactions involving cryptocurrencies.
Biden touted the breakthrough at a speech in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania.
'I was just on the phone – looks like they reached a bipartisan agreement,' Biden said.
He said the infrastructure deal was a 'fancy word for bridges roads, transit systems, high speed internet ...' and other programs. He touted projects for capping so-called 'orphan wells.
'I’m working with Democrats and Republicans to get this done,' he said, even though there is a 'a lot we don't agree on.'
He then went on to tout his separate 'Build Back Better' plan, which includes 'human infrastructure' projects he wants to use through a special budget procedure. He singled out universal pre-K, community college, child care, and paid leave.
Republican Senators Rob Portman of Ohio , Mitt Romney of Utah (2-R), Susan Collins of Maine , Bill Cassidy of Louisiana (2-L) and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announce an agreement on infrastructure following a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 28 July 2021
Details of the legislation were still being finalized. But the Ohio Republican predicted that legislative text for the bill would be completed later on Wednesday, when the Senate was expected to hold a 'cloture' vote to move forward on the package after months of talks.
The procedural vote would simply limit debate on whether the Senate should begin considering a bipartisan infrastructure investment bill, thought to be in the range of $1.2 trillion.
Four other Republican negotiators joined Portman, including Senator Lisa Murkowski, who said the agreement showed Republicans and Democrats in the often divided U.S. Congress 'can come together over really hard stuff to negotiate in good faith to broker an agreement.'
Also appearing with Portman, a former top White House aide, House member, and White House trade advisor, were Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Mitt Romney of Utah, and Susan Collins of Maine.
Sen. Krysten Sinema, D-Ariz., a lead Democratic negotiator, said she spoke Wednesday with President Joe Biden and he was 'very excited' to have a deal.
Cassidy appeared to take a shot at former President Donald Trump, who ripped negotiators as 'RINOS' and urged Republicans to oppose it.
'I am amazed that there’s some who oppose this just because they think that if you ever get anything done, somehow it's a sign of weakness,' he said. 'I have no clue what they mean. My state has been impacted more than any other state by flooding and natural disasters these past two years.'
The agreement includes $110 billion for roads, $65 billion to expand broadband access and $47 billion for environmental resiliency, the lawmakers said.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) departs from a closed door meeting on infrastructure between White House officials and a bipartisan group of Senators on June 22, 2021 in Washington, DC. She says she spoke to President Biden about the latest agreement
President Joe Biden has made an infrastructure bill one of his top legislative priorities
It falls short of Biden had initially sought – but the White House is still in negotiations with lawmakers about a separate 'reconciliation' package that contains liberal funding priorities.
Earlier, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said a procedural vote on a bipartisan bill was possible as soon as Wednesday night.
'Senators continue to make good progress,' Democrat Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor.
He had threatened to keep the Senate out of a planned recess until a deal gets done.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the Senate GOP whip, told reporters Tuesday there are 'a number of our members who want to get to yes' but have concerns.
It will require 60 votes in the evenly split 50-50 Senate to proceed to consideration of the legislation, meaning support from both parties. That would launch a potentially days-long process to consider the bill, and any possible amendments.
Before the announcement, Murkowski told reporters: 'I think that there is a strong, solid number of folks on both sides of the aisle that want to get on to an infrastructure package.'
Democrats hope to pass this month or early next month whatever measure is agreed upon in the bipartisan negotiations.
That could help clear the way for Democrats to begin pushing another large spending bill totaling around $3.5 trillion that Republicans have vowed to oppose.
Even if the deal clears the Senate, with some key senators indicating they are willing to move to it, the deal would have to make it through the House, where the Democratic majority is in control.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she won't act on the package until the larger reconciliation package is also sewn up.