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Trump told us he won't sign funding bill to avert shutdown – Paul Ryan Trump moves towards US shutdown with vow not to sign spending bill
(35 minutes later)
Paul Ryan, the outgoing House speaker, has declared that Donald Trump “will not sign” a bill to keep the federal government running and avoid a shutdown – because of an impasse over funding for his promised border wall between the US and Mexico. Donald Trump veered toward a shutdown of the federal government by vowing on Thursday not to sign a stopgap spending bill passed by the Republican majority in the Senate, taking his colleagues by surprise.
Paul Ryan, who bit his lip as Trump ran wild, says goodbye to politics The outgoing House speaker Paul Ryan announced after a meeting with Trump at the White House that the president would not sign the bill.
The president met House Republicans on Thursday after, late on Wednesday, the Senate approved legislation temporarily to fund the government, a key step toward averting a government shutdown at midnight on Friday. After Donald Trump initially backed away from his demand for money for a border wall with Mexico, he signaled a willingness to dig his heels in on Thursday and made it clear he would refuse to sign a bill. “The president informed us that he will not sign the bill that came over from the Senate last evening because of his legitimate concerns for border security,” Ryan said.
Democrats and, at least, moderate Republicans in the House had been expected to vote for the new bill. Trump tweeted late Thursday morning that he had signed a previous spending bill on the assumption that he “was promised the Wall and Border Security by leadership. Would be done by end of year (NOW). It didn’t happen!” Trump has sought to insert $5bn in funding for a border wall with Mexico into successive spending resolutions but so far his Republican colleagues in control of Congress have resisted.
Senators had passed the measure, which would keep government running to 8 February. The House is also expected to move before Friday’s deadline, when funding for a portion of the government expires. Unless the issue is resolved, more than 800,000 federal workers would face furloughs or be forced to work without pay, disrupting government operations days before Christmas. US government shutdown: what is it, will it happen and who's to blame?
The president has one day to change his mind again and avert a government shutdown before the funding deadline at midnight on Friday. But he appeared to have issued his colleagues an ultimatum on Thursday that any spending bill he signs must include funding for a border wall.
“The president said that he will not sign this bill,” Ryan said.
Trump had been under pressure to hold out for wall funding from far-right commentators such as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, who said on his show Thursday, “They just broke Trump! Trump’s finished. They’re dancing on the grave already. They’re celebrating.”
If Trump does not change his mind, a government shutdown appears certain. Even if the House succeeded in amending the legislation in question to include funding for a wall, and passes the bill with the amendment, the revised bill still would need to clear the Senate before returning to the president, and many senators had already left town for the holiday break.
Trump made a border wall the central plank of his 2016 candidacy and in advance of last month’s midterms the president placed opposition to immigration and smears against immigrants at the center of his campaigning activity. Republicans lost 40 seats in the house in the midterm elections.
Critics of Trump’s proposal for a border wall, including Republicans, say it would not increase security or stem drug flows while costing more than technology- and personnel-based measures that would be more effective.
Trump signaled his move with a tweet Thursday morning. “When I begrudgingly signed the Omnibus Bill, I was promised the Wall and Border Security by leadership. Would be done by end of year (NOW). It didn’t happen!” the president wrote. “We foolishly fight for Border Security for other countries - but not for our beloved U.S.A. Not good!”
The president met House Republicans on Thursday after the Senate approved legislation temporarily to fund the government, which had been seen as a key step toward averting a government shutdown.
Unless the issue is resolved, more than 800,000 federal workers would face furloughs or be forced to work without pay, disrupting government operations days before Christmas.
On Thursday morning, Trump attempted to deflect criticism from both sides.On Thursday morning, Trump attempted to deflect criticism from both sides.
“With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!” the president tweeted.“With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!” the president tweeted.
In a tweet a few minutes earlier, Trump appeared to acknowledge that his long-promised “big, beautiful wall” hasn’t happened and isn’t being funded. Most of the existing border barrier consists of fencing.In a tweet a few minutes earlier, Trump appeared to acknowledge that his long-promised “big, beautiful wall” hasn’t happened and isn’t being funded. Most of the existing border barrier consists of fencing.
“The Democrats, who know Steel Slats (Wall) are necessary for Border Security, are putting politics over Country. What they are just beginning to realize is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security. U.S.A. WINS!” he tweeted. Paul Ryan, who bit his lip as Trump ran wild, says goodbye to politics
The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said the Senate will remain in session on Thursday. “We have to see what the House does,” he said.
Many of Trump’s supporters were frustrated that he appeared to retreat on his shutdown threats after promising a fight over the wall, which had been central to his presidential campaign. Just last week Trump said he would be “proud” to shut down the government over his demand for $5bn for the wall.Many of Trump’s supporters were frustrated that he appeared to retreat on his shutdown threats after promising a fight over the wall, which had been central to his presidential campaign. Just last week Trump said he would be “proud” to shut down the government over his demand for $5bn for the wall.
The Republican congressman Mark Meadows, a leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said Trump’s political base “will just go crazy” if he signs a bill without wall funding. He warned it will be tougher to win the money next year when Democrats control the House. He said supporters of the president “believe it’s a promise that he’s been telling them that he will keep”.The Republican congressman Mark Meadows, a leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said Trump’s political base “will just go crazy” if he signs a bill without wall funding. He warned it will be tougher to win the money next year when Democrats control the House. He said supporters of the president “believe it’s a promise that he’s been telling them that he will keep”.
On Twitter, Trump had appeared to respond to criticism by insisting that “one way or the other, we will win on the Wall!”
Voting was delayed until late Wednesday as a bipartisan group of lawmakers, mostly from the west, sought to include language reauthorizing a popular program that supports conservation and outdoor recreation projects. The Land and Water Conservation Fund expired on 30 September, and they have been trying to extend it, but no agreement was reached and talks will continue.
At one point late in the late evening, senators broke out in a round of Christmas carols from a corner of the chamber. It was unclear how many House members would return to Washington for votes after Wednesday.
Judge blocks Trump policy denying asylum for gang and domestic violence victims
With Republicans sour on the spending package, passage could depend on Democrats.
“Democrats will be ready to fully, responsibly fund our government in January,” the Democratic House leader, Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement.
As some Republicans grumbled that Trump caved, McConnell lashed out at Democrats for failing to give Trump any of the $5bn that he wanted for the wall. The bill keeps funding at current levels, $1.3bn, for border security and fencing, but not for the wall.
McConnell said: “It seems like political spite for the president may be winning out over sensible policy.”
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
US politicsUS politics
US immigrationUS immigration
Trump administrationTrump administration
US SenateUS Senate
RepublicansRepublicans
Paul RyanPaul Ryan
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