Thousands of Americans are desperately awaiting their stimulus check from the U.S. government to help weather the coronavirus pandemic, but in many cases, it is delayed. Last week, it was reported that President Donald Trump‘s name will be printed in the memo section of each paper check, and that this caused a delay in the delivery of the payments. All over social media, the story is still causing an uproar amongst Americans.
The Washington Post spoke to three officials in the Treasury Department on Wednesday, who said that the decision to print Trump’s name on the stimulus checks came at the very last minute. They said that it pushed the delivery of paper checks back by at least a few days, though later reports from other anonymous officials refuted this account. Regardless, the president’s name has never been printed on a stimulus check before, and many are outraged, feeling that the president is using this as a stunt to make himself look good.
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Similar economic relief checks have been sent out to Americans before — during the 2008 housing crash, for example, and other major upheavals. In those cases, the names of the current presidents were left off of the checks. The Post reported that Trump initially wanted to have his signature on each check, but the president is not legally authorized to sign over funds to the American people.
Since that report came out, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has gone on CNN and claimed that printing the president’s name on the checks was his idea, and that Trump had no hand in it. However, judging by social media, many Americans are still skeptical of this claim.
The first round of direct deposit payments went out on Wednesday, April 15, while the first round of paper checks will be mailed out on Friday, April 24. As Americans await this much-needed aid, many are still fuming about the president’s name being printed on the incoming check. Here is what Twitter has been saying about it lately.
‘Political Stunt’
Are you kidding me?
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) April 15, 2020
Donald J. Trump is delaying many of your $1200 checks by demanding that his signature be printed on them.
American families are in crisis. This is a cruel political stunt from a petulant man who’s failing our families.https://t.co/6ihbNLNJ35
Alternate Memos
This, coronavirus stimulus check is brought to you by the deadly failures,gross negligence, & incompetence of Donald J Trump pic.twitter.com/Yk7ZvzIJ76
— Robert Armogeda (@ArmogedaRobert) April 21, 2020
Delays
Last week the stimulus check site said mine would be deposited into the correct account listed. Now @realDonaldTrump wants his name on everything & doesn’t care if it delays the money people need. I’d rather have a deposit than a wasted piece of paper w/ an assholes name on it.
— Sarah C (@cookieeeeeesss) April 21, 2020
Mnuchin’s Idea
Mnuchin says it was his idea to put Trump’s name on stimulus checks. What a tool! https://t.co/xYyhEbVltX
— CW drums (@CW_Dem) April 21, 2020
George Takei
When we receive our stimulus checks, which have been delayed because the “president” insists his name be printed on the memo line, after the words “Donald J. Trump” we should all write SUCKS and post a picture, tagging him on social media.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 15, 2020
He only understands schoolyard tactics.
Death Certificates
If we’re going to print Donald Trump’s name on the relief checks, we should also print Donald Trump’s name as the cause of death on the death certificates.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) April 15, 2020
Deceptive
AS A WAY TO BUY VOTES TO HELP IS RE-ELECTION:
— Tomthunkit™ (@TomthunkitsMind) April 21, 2020
For the 1st time in history, Trump’s name will appear on the economic #stimuluschecks that will be mailed to millions of Americans delaying the mailing because of the last-minute change ordered by Trump. https://t.co/tKEYkWuVmJ 05
