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Chris Wallace confronts Pelosi for holding hostage COVID relief: 'Didn't you mess this one up?'
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Chris Wallace confronts Pelosi for holding hostage COVID relief: 'Didn't you mess this one up?'

'...a lot of people and a lot of entities that were in need ending up with nothing'

Chris Wallace, host of "Fox News Sunday," grilled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday, not letting her forget that Democrats are responsible for President Donald Trump taking action to provide Americans with coronavirus-related economic relief.

What's the background?

After two weeks of negotiations, the White House and Democrats failed to agree on a second COVID-related economic relief bill. The president responded on Saturday by signing executive orders providing Americans with temporary relief.

The executive action included a $400 supplemental unemployment stipend, deferred payroll taxes for certain Americas, extended the federal eviction moratorium, and further deferred student loans payments.

As TheBlaze reported, Democrats responded by threatening to take legal action against the president, who said he only acted because Democrats had brought unreasonable demands to the negotiation table.

What happened on Fox News?

During a lengthy interview with Wallace, Pelosi claimed that Trump's action merely provides the "illusion" of assistance.

But Wallace called her out, noting that Democrats' failure to compromise meant that Americans will not receive any of the help that they need.

"You're known as a master negotiator, but didn't you mess this one up?" Wallace asked. "You knew that the president was threatening to take this executive action. I understand that you weren't going to get everything you wanted and didn't get everything you wanted, but should you have cut a deal?"

Pelosi, clearly upset by Wallace's question, responded by claiming Wallace "clearly" did not "have an understanding of what is happening."

After more postulating by Pelosi, Wallace then hammered home the reality of Democrats' commitment to not compromise with Republicans.

Speaker, but the point I'm trying to -- I'm trying to make is, you -- they were offering $150 billion for cities and states. You wanted $900 billion. The result of no deal is that the states and cities, which we all agree do need some money, are going to get nothing. I guess the question is -- and I'm not saying it's all your fault anymore than it's all the Republicans' fault, but the failure to make a deal is going to result in a lot of people and a lot of entities that were in need ending up with nothing.

Pelosi went on to explain that if lawmakers return to negotiations, Democrats will refuse to cut many of their extraneous demands. She said they are only willing to "talk about how long our provisions would be in effect."

Chris Wallace presses Pelosi on coronavirus stimulus: 'Didn't you mess this up?'www.youtube.com

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