President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE on Tuesday trashed his own White House infrastructure plan released last year, blaming his former top economic adviser Gary Cohn Gary David CohnGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Former national economic council director: I agree with 50 percent of House Democrats' HEROES Act MORE for drafting a proposal that was "so stupid."

Trump, meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Senate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' MORE (D-N.Y.), made clear that he was never supportive of the proposal calling for public-private partnerships because "you get sued," according to a senior Democratic source who attended the private meeting in the White House’s Cabinet Room.

"That was a Gary [Cohn] bill. That bill was so stupid," Trump told the Democratic leaders, according to the source.

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A second person present at Tuesday’s White House meeting confirmed Trump’s remarks criticizing his administration's plan. Unveiled in February 2018, the proposal calls for $200 billion in federal spending that would be used to leverage at least an additional $800 billion in private investment over the next decade.

Cohn, Trump's first director of the National Economic Council, resigned from his White House post in April 2018, two months after rolling out the White House infrastructure plan.

"[Trump] said definitively he doesn't like private-public partnerships, and he did not at all support the plan that was put forward last year," recalled House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio Peter Anthony DeFazioAirline CEOs, union leaders implore Congress and the administration to avoid Oct. 1 furloughs Airline CEOs plead with Washington as layoffs loom House report rips Boeing, FAA over mistakes before 737 Max crashes MORE (D-Ore.), who was among the group of Hill Democrats who met with Trump.

"He said he never supported it," DeFazio added. "It was a product of a think tank guy, DJ Gribbin, and he said, 'That was Gary's thing. I never supported that.'"

Gribbin, an infrastructure policy adviser, also left the White House last year.

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Tuesday's meeting marked a rare bipartisan breakthrough for Trump and Democratic leaders, who agreed to come up with a $2 trillion infrastructure package. But the two sides did not reach a deal on how to pay for the package and will meet again in three weeks to talk details, Pelosi and Schumer announced. Democrats want to raise taxes to generate revenue for roads, bridges, waterways and broadband projects.

Democrats now hope that Trump’s rejection of public-private partnerships means he’ll move a step closer to their position.

"I would like to do something. It may not be typically Republican," Trump told the Democrats, according to the senior Democratic source.

Naomi Jagoda contributed.