Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia stated on Monday that White House personnel did “inexcusable” things that contributed to his decision to openly reject President Joe Biden’s social and climate policy agenda, putting the legislation in jeopardy.

Manchin made the remarks during an appearance on West Virginia MetroNews radio after telling Fox News on Sunday that he would be unable to vote on the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act.

Manchin stated that he would not reveal the “true cause” for the failure of the discussions.

When asked what that was, he replied: “The bottom line is… it’s personnel. It’s all about the employees… It’s not the president’s fault. It’s the employees. And they drove and put stuff out that were really unacceptable.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Manchin’s decision to end discussions on the bill would be a “sudden and unexplained change in his stance, and a breach of his obligations to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.”

Goldman Sachs lowered its prediction for US economic growth as a result of Manchin’s action.

According to persons familiar with the situation, a Manchin assistant phoned the White House soon before the senator’s Fox appearance. The White House was unable to reach the senator directly for a comment before he stated on TV that the conversations were over.

According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Biden and Manchin spoke on Sunday night, giving some hope that negotiations might resume in the new year on amicable terms.

Manchin has expressed misgivings about a number of ideas in Biden’s major domestic policy plan, including various climate proposals and prolonging monthly child tax credit payments, which according to Columbia University pulled 3.6 million children out of poverty in October.
According to a source familiar with his views who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the senator has also been angered by remarks from the administration calling him out as an impediment.

Manchin has been blocking its passage for weeks; in a Dec. 16 statement, Biden specifically named Manchin, stating, “I think that we will bridge our differences” in the “ongoing” conversations.

According to the Washington Post, a plan blueprint Manchin gave to the White House last week included $1.8 trillion in financing over ten years, as Biden had anticipated, but no child tax credit.

Manchin’s backing is critical in a chamber where Democrats hold the narrowest majority and Republicans are unified in their opposition to the package.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated on Monday that he intends to have a vote early next year regardless.

During the interview on Monday, Manchin stated that he informed Schumer in July that he would only support $1.5 trillion in spending, or up to $1.75 trillion if tax reform provisions were addressed.

According to him, the present idea is too similar to the previous one. Every time Manchin and the White House removed anything, the measure was brought back to the House of Representatives, where “everything was put back in,” he added.

Representative Pramila Jayapal, a major liberal Democrat in the House, slammed her colleague.

“In a community where people believe the only thing you have is your word, that lack of integrity is shocking.”