'Enormous betrayal': GOP senators furious with Trump for trying to cut a deal with Nancy Pelosi

On Saturday, Politico reported Senate Republicans are enraged that Trump went around them to try to negotiate a coronavirus stimulus deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) less than a week after he said he was closing the door on talks until after the election, and vented their frustration on a conference call.

"At least two GOP senators warned White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that spending as much as $2 trillion on a big bill could backfire at the ballot box," reported Burgess Everett and Jake Sherman. "The administration has floated a large spending deal to Pelosi but is trying to get her to back down on some spending levels, but senators said even the White House wants to spend too much, according to multiple sources briefed on the call."

“There’s no appetite right now to spend the White House number or the House number,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on the call. Meanwhile, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who chairs the Senate Republican Conference, said it would be seen as an "an enormous betrayal by our supporters" if Trump agrees to anything that expands Affordable Care Act programs to deliver relief — something that was done in the previous bipartisan round of stimulus, the CARES Act.

Trump's reversal on negotiating a deal came after his initial refusal triggered a stock market crash, widespread outrage, and speculation that he might have thrown away his chances of re-election.