Trump’s pandemic relief flip-flop will hurt millions however it ends

President Donald Trump’s sudden demand for last-minute changes to plans for pandemic relief and government spending in 2021 has thrown Washington into chaos, but one thing is clear: Millions of Americans will face additional hardship because of it. Meanwhile, 12 million unemployed Americans will lose jobless aid on Saturday, and even if its resumption is eventually approved, it will take states weeks or more to actually distribute payments. If the relief bill dies thanks to Trump’s tantrum, one likely result is a new effort negotiated after president Biden is inaugurated, with Republicans likely to be far less cooperative if negotiations begin after special elections in Georgia on Jan 5.