Decision said to slow delivery of funds to tens of millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus outbreak

This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

The US Treasury has ordered Donald Trump’s name be printed on cheques to be sent to tens of millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus outbreak, a decision that will slow their delivery by several days, according to the Washington Post.

Citing unnamed senior officials at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Post reported the $1,200 cheques – being sent by the as part of a $2.3tn package enacted last month to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic – will “bear Trump’s name in the memo line, below a line that reads, ‘Economic Impact Payment’.”

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The White House and the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment, however the Post said Treasury officials disputed that the cheques would be delayed.

The Post said the “unprecedented decision” to include Trump’s name was announced to the IRS information technology team on Tuesday.

“The team, working from home, is now racing to implement a programming change that two senior officials said will likely lead to a delay in issuing the first batch of paper checks,” it said.

Trump is seeking re-election in November.