Trump failed to sign the Covid relief bill into law !

Millions of Americans have temporarily lost their unemployment benefits !

US President-elect Joe Biden had warned of "devastating consequences"

if Mr Trump continued to delay signing but the Saturday deadline has now passed.

Unemployment benefits and a ban on evictions will be affected.

The package worth $900bn was approved by Congress after months of difficult negotiations and compromises.

Mr Trump says he wants Americans to receive $2,000 but Republicans in Congress refused to agree to the change.

In a tweet late on Saturday evening local time, Mr Trump again defended his position on the issue

blaming China for the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus economic relief comes with a $1.4tn federal budget attached.

A partial government shutdown will begin on Tuesday unless legislators pass a stopgap bill before then

- but this would not include coronavirus aid

and Mr Trump would still have to sign it.

14 million Americans would be affected by a lapse in unemployment benefit payments and new stimulus cheques.

On Twitter earlier, the president had reiterated his objection to the bill, saying:

"I simply want to get our great people $2000

rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill."

The New York Times

BREAKING NEWS
President Trump signed a virus relief package after days of resistance

averting a shutdown and extending jobless benefits to millions of Americans.

Sunday, December 27, 2020 8:14 PM EST

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Sunday abruptly signed a measure providing $900 billion in pandemic aid

and funding the government through September, ending last-minute turmoil he himself had created

over legislation that will offer an economic lifeline to millions of Americans and avert a government shutdown.