WASHINGTON — As Congress and the White House contemplate the next phase of the government response to the coronavirus pandemic and its economic toll, Democrats and President Trump are increasingly raising the prospect of enacting a multitrillion-dollar infrastructure plan that could create thousands of jobs.

Mr. Trump and congressional Democrats have clashed for years over how to structure such a plan, and striking a deal to do so would be an exceedingly steep challenge in an election year, particularly given Republican leaders’ resistance to their calls for another round of government relief. But as the novel coronavirus ravages the economy, both parties appear to be coalescing behind the idea of something akin to a New Deal-style jobs program to help the nation cope with what is expected to be a deep recession.

Whether or not a compromise can be reached, the infrastructure issue is likely to become a centerpiece of both Mr. Trump’s re-election campaign, and the Democratic fight to retain control of the House and win the Senate, as the two parties compete to position themselves as more responsive to voters’ needs.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and her top lieutenants on Wednesday outlined the contours of their proposal, building off a five-year, $760 billion framework House Democrats introduced earlier this year. Among the new provisions are an extra $10 billion for community health centers fighting the spread of the pandemic and a program that would provide federal grants to pay for drinking water and wastewater utility bills in low-income households during public health crises.