Donald Trump's top economic adviser said Thursday that the White House and Democrats had not yet reached a coronavirus relief deal because Democrats want "voting rights" protections and aid for immigrants included in the package, and "that's not our game."

National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow made the admission in a CNBC interview, claiming Trump had issued several executive actions over the weekend purportedly because Americans needed help immediately and couldn't wait for a deal to be struck.

Those executive actions, however, are largely ineffective at solving the current crisis, experts say. Among other things, Trump's supposed eviction moratorium extension is not a moratorium at all, but rather asks the government to consider whether halting evictions is "reasonably necessary" to preventing further spread of the virus. And what is supposed to be an extension of additional unemployment benefits, currently at an extra $600 a week, has been slashed in half, with already cash-strapped states forced to contribute $100 to the pot.

Trump has frequently attempted to undermine voting rights, working to make it harder for people to vote by mail in a pandemic and pushing debunked conspiracy theories about voter fraud.

From an interview on CNBC, Aug. 13, 2020:

KUDLOW: President Trump has acted forcefully because we couldn't reach a deal with the Democrats. They are asking too much money, $3.5 trillion. We have already spent over $3 trillion. So much of the Democratic asks are really liberal-left wish lists because, you know, voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth. That's not our game and the president can't accept that kind of deal.

House Democrats passed their own pandemic relief bill in May that included $75 billion to enhance coronavirus tracing, testing, and treatment; expanded hazard pay and child care for essential workers; extended additional unemployment benefits; and included resources for safe elections and preservation of the U.S. Postal Service.

Senate Republicans refused to bring the bill up for a vote.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.