Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Tuesday during the White House Cabinet meeting that the administration will send future coronavirus relief payments to some Americans in the form of pre-loaded debit cards.
Mnuchin told the room that the economic relief payments “have really had a big impact.”
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 08: (L-R) White House Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, President Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) meet with Congressional Republicans in the State Dining Room at the White House May 08, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump insisted that the national economy will recover this year from the damage caused by novel coronavirus pandemic, saying, “I’m calling it the transition to greatness.” (Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images)
“We have delivered over $239 billion to 141 million Americans, and I want to highlight, we couldn’t be more pleased — 114 million of those, we did direct deposit into people’s accounts, he said. (RELATED: Trump Signs Executive Order Rescinding And Waiving Regulations In Attempt To Aid Economic Recovery)
Mnuchin noted the government had mailed “27 million checks.”
“And Mr. President, we now have developed debit cards,” he continued.
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“Do I sign the letter again?” Trump joked, earning laughs from Mnuchin and others in the room.
“The next time we send money, you’ll get to send another letter,” he concluded.
The administration previously caused a media stir after announcing that the physical coronavirus checks being sent to Americans would bear Trump’s name and come with a signed letter from the president.
Critics accused the White House of delaying the delivery of economic relief in exchange for a campaign publicity stunt on Trump’s behalf, yet senior Treasury officials denied that claim. (RELATED: Senior Officials Reject Washington Post’s Claim That Trump’s Name Appearing On Stimulus Checks ‘Reeks Of Partisanship’)
“The President’s name is on the checks, the same as it’s on the CARES Act,” one official said at the time. “It wasn’t politically advantageous for Democrats and their propaganda arm at the Washington Post to pounce on that.”