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| Shutdown to Take Effect at Midnight as Talks Fail to Break Impasse | Shutdown to Take Effect at Midnight as Talks Fail to Break Impasse |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The federal government headed toward a partial shutdown late Friday as the House and the Senate both adjourned for the evening, ending any hopes of a last-minute compromise to pass a spending bill that would keep nine cabinet agencies operating past a midnight deadline. | |
| As his budget director ordered the implementation of government shutdown plans, President Trump told the country in a video on Twitter that “we’re going to have a shutdown.” | |
| “There’s nothing we can do about that because we need the Democrats to give us their votes,” he said in the video. | |
| A burst of late-afternoon activity at the Capitol failed to break the deadlock. Vice President Mike Pence huddled there with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, and senior House Republicans, searching for a solution to a logjam that Mr. Trump has shown little interest in breaking. | |
| While the president has been unwilling to consider dropping his demand to fund his signature campaign promise, Mr. Pence and other White House officials were discussing a number of potential compromises that would force him to do just that, omitting spending on a wall and instead adding money for other security measures at the border, according to several officials with knowledge of the talks. | While the president has been unwilling to consider dropping his demand to fund his signature campaign promise, Mr. Pence and other White House officials were discussing a number of potential compromises that would force him to do just that, omitting spending on a wall and instead adding money for other security measures at the border, according to several officials with knowledge of the talks. |
| In his video, Mr. Trump appeared to be moderating his position slightly, calling for “great border security with a wall, or a slat fence, or whatever you want to call it — but we need a great barrier.” | |
| “Let’s be bipartisan and let’s get it done,” Mr. Trump said. “The shutdown hopefully will not last long.” | |
| But in the absence of a deal, the capital hurtled toward a shutdown — the third in two years in Washington — that would affect nine federal departments and several other agencies, including hundreds of thousands of federal employees. It was an appropriate end to a period of unified Republican rule of the White House and both chambers of Congress that has been marked by dysfunction and infighting, a mercurial president whose shifting positions and whims have scuttled legislative deals, and Republican leaders and lawmakers who cower at the prospect of angering his core supporters. | |
| Mr. Trump shelved plans to go to his winter estate in Florida, and as night fell, the House and Senate adjourned until Saturday. | |
| Negotiations continued among White House and congressional officials on Friday night after Mr. Pence left a quiet Capitol, with the talks expected to continue on Saturday but no clear sense of where they might lead. The House and Senate remained on standby, planning to reconvene but devoid, for the moment, of any measure that would reopen the government and bridge the divide. | |
| There had been a glimmer of progress late in the day when the Senate voted, 48 to 47, with Mr. Pence breaking a tie, to begin debating stopgap spending legislation passed by the House on Thursday night that would keep the government running through Feb. 8 and provide $5.7 billion to begin construction of the border wall. | There had been a glimmer of progress late in the day when the Senate voted, 48 to 47, with Mr. Pence breaking a tie, to begin debating stopgap spending legislation passed by the House on Thursday night that would keep the government running through Feb. 8 and provide $5.7 billion to begin construction of the border wall. |
| But the vote — which dragged on all day as Senate leaders struggled without success to win a simple majority to even consider it — was more a repudiation of Mr. Trump’s proposal than an endorsement of it. Senators in both parties conceded that the measure could not pass the chamber, where major legislation requires bipartisan support, and said they were advancing it only to allow negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders in both parties to proceed on a compromise that all sides could accept. | |
| Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said the Senate had approved the measure “in order to preserve maximum flexibility for productive conversations to continue between the White House and our Democratic colleagues.” | Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said the Senate had approved the measure “in order to preserve maximum flexibility for productive conversations to continue between the White House and our Democratic colleagues.” |
| Mr. Schumer said the vote only underscored what Democrats had been telling Mr. Trump since last week, when the president declared during a combative Oval Office meeting that he would be proud to shut down the government and shoulder the blame if he could not win support to fund his border wall. | Mr. Schumer said the vote only underscored what Democrats had been telling Mr. Trump since last week, when the president declared during a combative Oval Office meeting that he would be proud to shut down the government and shoulder the blame if he could not win support to fund his border wall. |
| “His wall does not have 60 votes here in the Senate, let alone 50 votes — that much is now clear,” Mr. Schumer said. “We are willing to continue discussions” on proposals to keep the government funded, he added. | “His wall does not have 60 votes here in the Senate, let alone 50 votes — that much is now clear,” Mr. Schumer said. “We are willing to continue discussions” on proposals to keep the government funded, he added. |
| The vote unfolded as Mr. Pence, along with Mick Mulvaney, Mr. Trump’s budget director and incoming chief of staff, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, huddled in the Capitol to jump-start negotiations. The prospect of a deal has been hampered by the president’s refusal to budge on the wall, or to indicate what alternatives he would be willing to accept to keep the government open. | The vote unfolded as Mr. Pence, along with Mick Mulvaney, Mr. Trump’s budget director and incoming chief of staff, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, huddled in the Capitol to jump-start negotiations. The prospect of a deal has been hampered by the president’s refusal to budge on the wall, or to indicate what alternatives he would be willing to accept to keep the government open. |
| Among the options discussed behind closed doors were proposals that would allocate anywhere from $1.6 billion to a total of $2.5 billion to border security, none of which could be spent on a wall. But it was not clear that conservatives in the House, who insisted on Thursday on adding the $5.7 billion for the physical barrier the president has demanded to the stopgap spending measure, would back that solution. | |
| “What I want is real money for the wall,” said Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who declined to say how much funding he would consider sufficient, but said $1.6 billion was not enough. | |
| With the clock ticking toward a shutdown on Friday, Mr. Trump remained adamant as well and appeared resigned to a shutdown, saying he hoped to keep funds flowing past midnight but that his adversaries must agree to fund his border wall. | With the clock ticking toward a shutdown on Friday, Mr. Trump remained adamant as well and appeared resigned to a shutdown, saying he hoped to keep funds flowing past midnight but that his adversaries must agree to fund his border wall. |
| “Now it’s up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown tonight,” Mr. Trump said at the White House on Friday morning, moments after meeting with Senate Republicans. “I hope we don’t, but we are totally prepared for a very long shutdown. This is our only chance that we will ever have, in our opinion.” | “Now it’s up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown tonight,” Mr. Trump said at the White House on Friday morning, moments after meeting with Senate Republicans. “I hope we don’t, but we are totally prepared for a very long shutdown. This is our only chance that we will ever have, in our opinion.” |
| It was a striking reversal from his televised declaration during the Oval Office meeting a week ago that he relished the prospect of shuttering the government to force Democrats to accept a wall, and that he would not blame them for the outcome. | It was a striking reversal from his televised declaration during the Oval Office meeting a week ago that he relished the prospect of shuttering the government to force Democrats to accept a wall, and that he would not blame them for the outcome. |
| In a meeting in his office just off the Senate floor, Mr. Schumer flatly informed Mr. Pence, Mr. Mulvaney and Mr. Kushner, who had requested to meet with him, that any measure that included money for the wall could not pass the Senate, and urged them to consider agreeing to one that omitted it but included funding for other forms of border security, according to a spokesman. | In a meeting in his office just off the Senate floor, Mr. Schumer flatly informed Mr. Pence, Mr. Mulvaney and Mr. Kushner, who had requested to meet with him, that any measure that included money for the wall could not pass the Senate, and urged them to consider agreeing to one that omitted it but included funding for other forms of border security, according to a spokesman. |
| Complicating the chances of such a deal was the president’s own refusal to detail his bottom line in negotiations. During a meeting with Republican senators on Friday morning, Mr. Trump would not provide specifics about what kind of plan he could support, including how much money he would accept for fortifying the border, despite their repeated efforts to ascertain his conditions for a deal, according to a Senate official briefed on the session who insisted on anonymity to describe it. The president talked at length about the wall and repeatedly pressed the senators about eliminating the filibuster so they could fund it with 51 votes. | Complicating the chances of such a deal was the president’s own refusal to detail his bottom line in negotiations. During a meeting with Republican senators on Friday morning, Mr. Trump would not provide specifics about what kind of plan he could support, including how much money he would accept for fortifying the border, despite their repeated efforts to ascertain his conditions for a deal, according to a Senate official briefed on the session who insisted on anonymity to describe it. The president talked at length about the wall and repeatedly pressed the senators about eliminating the filibuster so they could fund it with 51 votes. |
| Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, appeared practically giddy at the prospect that Mr. Trump’s aides were engaging in serious talks with lawmakers, saying, “The fact that that’s happening represents real progress,” and adding that he was “so happy about it.” | |
| Without a strategy for averting a shutdown, Mr. Trump spent the day maneuvering to ensure that Democrats would shoulder the blame, notwithstanding his public courting of the dysfunctional denouement. | Without a strategy for averting a shutdown, Mr. Trump spent the day maneuvering to ensure that Democrats would shoulder the blame, notwithstanding his public courting of the dysfunctional denouement. |
| He began the day warning on Twitter that a partial government shutdown “will last for a very long time.” | He began the day warning on Twitter that a partial government shutdown “will last for a very long time.” |
| “If enough Dems don’t vote, it will be a Democrat Shutdown!” Mr. Trump wrote. “House Republicans were great yesterday!” | “If enough Dems don’t vote, it will be a Democrat Shutdown!” Mr. Trump wrote. “House Republicans were great yesterday!” |
| He was referring to a nearly party-line vote in the House on Thursday night to add the wall funding to the stopgap spending bill despite almost certain defeat of the measure once it reached the Senate. House Republicans also added roughly $8 billion in disaster aid for farmers, a critical sweetener that helped advance a bill that they feared until the last moment might not have enough votes to pass. | He was referring to a nearly party-line vote in the House on Thursday night to add the wall funding to the stopgap spending bill despite almost certain defeat of the measure once it reached the Senate. House Republicans also added roughly $8 billion in disaster aid for farmers, a critical sweetener that helped advance a bill that they feared until the last moment might not have enough votes to pass. |
| Yet the only certainty to emerge was an intense round of political blame-shifting. House passage of the wall funding did change the dynamics of the fight, putting Senate Democrats in the position of being the spoilers of a measure to keep the government running. | Yet the only certainty to emerge was an intense round of political blame-shifting. House passage of the wall funding did change the dynamics of the fight, putting Senate Democrats in the position of being the spoilers of a measure to keep the government running. |
| Democrats, who believe their leverage will only grow when they assume the majority in the House in January, did not appear to be cowed by the tactic. | Democrats, who believe their leverage will only grow when they assume the majority in the House in January, did not appear to be cowed by the tactic. |
| “Abandon your shutdown strategy,” Mr. Schumer said on the Senate floor, addressing his remarks to the president. “You’re not getting the wall today, next week or on Jan. 3 when Democrats take control of the House.” | “Abandon your shutdown strategy,” Mr. Schumer said on the Senate floor, addressing his remarks to the president. “You’re not getting the wall today, next week or on Jan. 3 when Democrats take control of the House.” |
| The president also urged Mr. McConnell to pursue what is known as the “nuclear option” and abolish a rule that allows any senator to block final votes on legislation, often used by the minority party to thwart major bills. The tactic was used by Senate Democrats to lower the threshold to 51 votes and end a Republican blockade of President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees. Senate Republicans then used the same move to end filibusters of Supreme Court nominees. | The president also urged Mr. McConnell to pursue what is known as the “nuclear option” and abolish a rule that allows any senator to block final votes on legislation, often used by the minority party to thwart major bills. The tactic was used by Senate Democrats to lower the threshold to 51 votes and end a Republican blockade of President Barack Obama’s judicial nominees. Senate Republicans then used the same move to end filibusters of Supreme Court nominees. |
| “Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done!” Mr. Trump tweeted. “Our Country is counting on you!” | “Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done!” Mr. Trump tweeted. “Our Country is counting on you!” |
| Mr. McConnell has long said that there was no support for dismantling the 60-vote requirement on legislation, and he and a number of senior Republican senators released statements on Friday morning in advance of the meeting with Mr. Trump making it clear it would not happen. | Mr. McConnell has long said that there was no support for dismantling the 60-vote requirement on legislation, and he and a number of senior Republican senators released statements on Friday morning in advance of the meeting with Mr. Trump making it clear it would not happen. |
| “The leader has said for years that the votes are not there in the conference to use the nuclear option,” David Popp, his spokesman, said in a statement. “Just this morning, several senators put out statements confirming their opposition, and confirming that there is not a majority in the conference to go down that road.” | “The leader has said for years that the votes are not there in the conference to use the nuclear option,” David Popp, his spokesman, said in a statement. “Just this morning, several senators put out statements confirming their opposition, and confirming that there is not a majority in the conference to go down that road.” |
| Even as Mr. Trump mocked Democratic opposition and objections to his vision of a wall at the border with Mexico (“It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better,” Mr. Trump wrote), he seemed to acknowledge that the wall funding proposal was not getting through the Senate. | Even as Mr. Trump mocked Democratic opposition and objections to his vision of a wall at the border with Mexico (“It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better,” Mr. Trump wrote), he seemed to acknowledge that the wall funding proposal was not getting through the Senate. |
| “No matter what happens today in the Senate, Republican House Members should be very proud of themselves,” Mr. Trump wrote. “They flew back to Washington from all parts of the World in order to vote for Border Security and the Wall.” | “No matter what happens today in the Senate, Republican House Members should be very proud of themselves,” Mr. Trump wrote. “They flew back to Washington from all parts of the World in order to vote for Border Security and the Wall.” |
| “We will get it done, one way or the other!” the president wrote in another tweet. | “We will get it done, one way or the other!” the president wrote in another tweet. |
| With funding set to expire, the nine federal departments and several other agencies were beginning to prepare themselves. Some agencies will have enough money in the pipeline to carry them into the new year, but thousands of government workers are expected to be furloughed or required to work through the holidays without pay. | With funding set to expire, the nine federal departments and several other agencies were beginning to prepare themselves. Some agencies will have enough money in the pipeline to carry them into the new year, but thousands of government workers are expected to be furloughed or required to work through the holidays without pay. |
| “It’s actually part of what you do when you sign up for any public service position,” Representative Mark Meadows, Republican of North Carolina and chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Thursday. “It’s not lost on me in terms of the potential hardship.” | “It’s actually part of what you do when you sign up for any public service position,” Representative Mark Meadows, Republican of North Carolina and chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Thursday. “It’s not lost on me in terms of the potential hardship.” |
| Several House lawmakers blamed Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer for the impending shutdown, arguing that they were unwilling to compromise on border security. But with Democrats set to reclaim the House majority in two weeks, there is little motivation for Ms. Pelosi to acquiesce to the president’s demands. | Several House lawmakers blamed Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer for the impending shutdown, arguing that they were unwilling to compromise on border security. But with Democrats set to reclaim the House majority in two weeks, there is little motivation for Ms. Pelosi to acquiesce to the president’s demands. |
| In the aftermath of Mr. Trump’s insistence that he would own a government shutdown, House Democratic aides had already begun crafting legislation that would reopen the government come Jan. 3 and the swearing-in of new members. | In the aftermath of Mr. Trump’s insistence that he would own a government shutdown, House Democratic aides had already begun crafting legislation that would reopen the government come Jan. 3 and the swearing-in of new members. |