US unemployment benefits hang in balance as Trump rages

President Donald Trump has thrown the spending bill's progress into limbo

Sat, 26 Dec, 2020 - 22:30

Alexandra Olson and Jill Colvin, AP

Unemployment benefits for millions of struggling Americans are set to lapse at midnight unless US president Donald Trump signs an end-of-year Covid-19 relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections.

Mr Trump’s refusal to sign the bipartisan package as he demands larger Covid-19 relief cheques and complains about “pork” spending could also force a federal government shutdown when the money runs out at 12.01am on Tuesday – in the middle of a pandemic.