Axios reporter outlines how easy it will be for Democrats to win Trump's game of chicken on the COVID stimulus

President Donald Trump's economic adviser Peter Navarro quoted "the Lord" for giving his boss the supreme authority to write whatever laws he sees fit. But it doesn't seem to have delivered Trump the omnipotence to fix his COVID-19 stimulus problems.

Speaking on an MSNBC Sunday evening, Axios reporter Jonathan Swan explained that Democrats shouldn't have a difficult time messaging around Trump's decision to go at it alone and issue a series of executive orders.

"There is a real problem here, which, you know, we've sort of talked around a little bit but haven't addressed directly which is, if you actually think about it, it's not that complicated an argument for Democrats to make," said Swan. "Their argument is this is a crisis. This is a pandemic and more money is required. We need the $600, you know, extended into next year via unemployment boost and vastly more money to the states, et cetera, et cetera. "

He noted that Republicans could try and make the argument that it's fiscally irresponsible, but it's not likely to be an argument that could work for Republicans since they've ballooned spending with a tax cut that failed to deliver what the GOP promised.

"Deep down in his core, he's not really animated by fiscal restraint or fiscal conservatism," said Swan. "You have this situation where his team knows that if left on his own in a room with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would quite happily go along with a huge deal, a massive deal they could tote as the biggest deal ever. It's actually Mark Meadows as an avatar  for Republicans on the Hill that are getting squeamish about massive spending and finally saying enough is enough. That's where the blockage is."

Swan went on to say that Trump's biggest problem is that he's not making the argument as to why his proposal is bigger and better than the Democrats and why what the Democrats are proposing is unacceptable. Democrats have said that they're willing to cut a deal and they're willing to eliminate many of the things in their bill, as have Hill Republicans. It's the White House that seems unwilling to negotiate, with Mark Meadows slamming his hands on the table and walking out last week.

See Swan's explainer below: