WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House said Wednesday it had not ruled out that aid to troubled US automakers might total more than 25 billion dollars in an existing loan program it had insisted was the best rescue plan.
"I'm not ruling anything in or out," spokeswoman Dana Perino said when asked about General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford's plea for aid totalling as much as 24 billion dollars to stave off bankruptcy.
"It's too early. Let us have a chance to look at their plans and let them have their chance to testify," she said, referring to the battered giants' top executives scheduled appearances before the US Congress on Thursday and Friday.
For weeks, US President George W. Bush's top aides have said that the best way to help the automakers was through a 25-billion-dollar loan program already on the books, while rejecting calls to tap a 700-billion-dollar bailout package for the crisis-hit financial sector.
Earlier, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the administration would review the manufacturers' fresh appeals for a government rescue but cautioned against expecting any final decision "in the coming days."
"We're going to take some time to review the plans and listen to the testimony later this week" from the embattled giants' bosses to the US Congress, said spokesman Tony Fratto.
"I wouldn't expect that we'll make an assessment of the plans in the coming days," the spokesman said.
The Detroit automakers have requested a total of 34 billion dollars to avert a collapse of the sector, which could send shockwaves through a fragile economy.
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