House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an interview set to air on “Fox News Sunday,” said she believes Congress will “come to an agreement” on the $250 billion request to replenish the coronavirus small business loan program.
“Is there gonna be a deal, and if so, how soon?” anchor Chris Wallace asked Pelosi, in her first interview on Fox News Channel since 2017. “You know, there are a lot of small businesses that are running out of money and are hanging on by their fingernails.”
“Yes,” Pelosi said. “And we want all of them to get what they’re entitled to under the law and even more — some of these small businesses have other requests in terms of the additional loan program, in addition to the grant program. And that’s part of our request, as well.”
CORONAVIRUS DISASTER LOAN CUTOFF LEAVES MANY SMALL BIZ OWNERS WITHOUT FINANCIAL RELIEF
President Trump on Friday urged Pelosi to “get back to Washington” and solve the stalemate in Congress over the funding program.
“An incompetent political hack! Come back to Washington & take care of our great American workers,” Trump tweeted late Friday, responding to a video showing Pelosi on a late-night talk show, at home in California, showing off the contents of her refrigerator.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
In the interview airing Sunday, Pelosi emphasized to Wallace that there will be an agreement, adding that “people will be very pleased.”
“The money has not all been distributed, although it has all been committed. And that’s, that means there’s no more money. They will have more money as soon as we come to agreement which will be soon,” Pelosi said. “And I think people will be very pleased, because these small businesses must thrive in a community where their, again, health is essential to them opening up and they have to open up in order to thrive.”
In the interview, Wallace also asked Pelosi about protests against the more stringent stay-at-home restrictions Americans face due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Can you understand why they’re doing that?” Wallace asked.
Pelosi responded: “No, not, not really because what we have to do is, is, is shelter in place. That is really the answer.”
PROTESTS AND RALLIES ACROSS US CALL FOR END TO CORONAVIRUS STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS
“Testing. Tracing. Treatment. Shelter in place. And I do think that it’s unfortunate,” Pelosi told Wallace. “But, you know, people will do what they do. But the fact is, we’re all impatient. We all want out. But what they’re doing is really unfortunate.”
Around 22 million people filed for unemployment over the past month. Only essential businesses have remained open and operational during the various stay-at-home orders across the country, leaving many without work.
“Fox News Sunday” airs at 2 and 7 p.m. ET.
Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Melissa Leon contributed to this report.
