Manchin got a staffer to tell the White House he was about to tank Biden's Build Back Better bill rather than do it himself, reports say

• The White House learned Manchin wouldn't support Biden's spending package via an aide, reports said.
• The news came 30 minutes before the senator announced it on Fox News, The Washington Post reported.

A staffer for Sen. Joe Manchin, not the senator himself, contacted the White House to inform the administration that Manchin would not be voting for President Joe Biden's signature social-care and climate-crisis bill, multiple reports said.

Three sources told The Washington Post that Manchin indirectly informed Democratic leadership in Congress and the White House that he would not be voting for the bill.

Politico also reported that an aide made contact, and that Manchin refused attempts by the White House to reach him.

His position effectively kills the centerpiece of Biden's domestic agenda since Democrats have such a small majority that even a single holdout means they can't get legislation passed.

The heads-up from the aide came 30 minutes before Manchin announced the decision publicly in an appearance on Fox News on Sunday.

Biden invested considerable time and effort in seeking to persuade Manchin, a West Virginia moderate, to vote for the bill.

Its progress stalled for months amid opposition from Manchin and fellow Democratic moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Biden hosted Manchin at his home in Delaware in October as he sought to reach a deal with him. Reports said Biden personally called Manchin several times last week as he sought to get the bill over the line.

Following Manchin's interview, the White House published a statement that said Biden and key officials had understood that Manchin had agreed to back the package.

The statement accused Manchin of "a breach of his commitments to the president and the senator's colleagues in the House and Senate."

The Build Back Better bill would see $1.6 trillion invested in social-care programs and measures to combat the climate crisis, in one of the most ambitious and sweeping government spending programs in generations.

But on Fox News on Sunday, Manchin said he wouldn't be able to back the bill because of its potential effect on inflation and its large cost.

"This is a no on this piece of legislation," Manchin said. "I have tried everything."