Coronavirus pandemic
The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

White House, Democrats fail to reach agreement on virus relief bill, and next steps are uncertain

Parties meet for more than three hours but say they remain far apart on key issues

By
, 
and 
August 6, 2020 at 9:31 p.m. EDT
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows arrives at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for negotiations on coronavirus stimulus relief legislation. (Ting Shen/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

White House officials and Democratic leaders ended a three-hour negotiation Thursday evening without a coronavirus relief deal or even a clear path forward, with both sides remaining far apart on critical issues.

“We’re still a considerable amount apart,” said White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows after emerging from the meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. President Trump called into the meeting several times, but they were unable to resolve key issues.