On Christmas Eve, Mar-a-Lago staff were gearing up for President Donald Trump to sign the government funding bill and the COVID-19 relief package, which was touted as a holiday gift of relief to those suffering amid the coronavirus pandemic. Much to the chagrin of millions of Americans, the plan was canceled at the last minute.

Two sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed that the plan was canceled to CNN. Due to Trump scrapping the plan, much-needed benefits lapsed for several jobless Americans on Saturday. The government is now slated to shut down on Tuesday if the legislation remains unsigned.

Moreover, just before scrapping the plan to sign the bill at the last minute, Trump had teased "Good news on Covid Relief Bill" in a tweet over the weekend. According to the source, a similar scene was created in a private ballroom in Mar-a-Lago, where the president had another opportunity to sign the bill.

The bill was shifted to Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, a couple of days after Trump took everyone by surprise when he opposed the package in a video. Since Trump did not clarify whether or not he would veto the bill, his aides made preparations at his Florida club for him to sign it.

The president spent the weekend with his family in Florida, at his Mar-a-Lago residence, where he had several meetings and made multiple calls, according to his schedule, BBC reported. The White House had no update on the possibility of Trump signing the bill by Monday.

The smaller of the two ballrooms of Mar-a-Lago was prepared for a 7 p.m. ceremony in anticipation of the signing. The ballroom was prepped with a desk and chair for the president to sit, and his customary pens were kept ready. As the hour approached, aides were informed that Trump would not be signing the bill that evening, with one source saying Trump had changed his mind.

Americans, his aides and advisers, as well as the Congress, have no idea what Trump intends to do. When a deal was made between congressional leaders, the president's aides assumed he was on board and signed it off. Two officials previously told CNN that they did not believe Trump was provided all details of the package.

In his video message, Trump was urging Congress to amend it and opposed several provisions that were included in the omnibus spending bill, not the COVID relief bill. The president noted that though it is deemed a COVID relief bill, it has barely anything to do with COVID.