Trump told Fox News this week that if congressional Democrats manage to succeed in passing the sweeping social spending legislation, the result would be “a total disaster.” 

“I think he’s saving Biden, because if they ever got that passed, this country would be a total disaster,” he said of Manchin (D-WV). “Already, inflation is so bad, it’s at a level that nobody’s really seen — nobody remembers for so long — Jimmy Carter was there, but I think this will end up being far worse than Jimmy Carter.”
 
“I think that Manchin is actually helping Biden from himself,” Trump added, “because, if you look at it, and you look at what was potentially going to be passed — and I’m not saying it won’t, maybe he’ll change his mind — but it would blow this country up, with inflation and with other problems.”

The former president spoke just days after Manchin effectively killed the $2 trillion legislation during a “Fox News Sunday” interview, citing inflation, the spiking national debt and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Democratic leaders need every member of their conference to be on board with the measure to force it through the 50-50 Senate and send it to Biden’s desk through reconciliation.