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Trump vows 'very long' government shutdown over border wall | Trump vows 'very long' government shutdown over border wall |
(35 minutes later) | |
US President Donald Trump has threatened a "very long" government shutdown if Democrats do not fund his long-promised border wall. | US President Donald Trump has threatened a "very long" government shutdown if Democrats do not fund his long-promised border wall. |
In a series of tweets, Mr Trump demanded $5.7bn (£4.5bn), which was passed by the House of Representatives, but is expected to fail in the Senate. | |
"Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!" he tweeted. | "Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!" he tweeted. |
If no deal is reached, parts of the US government will begin to close at midnight on Friday. | If no deal is reached, parts of the US government will begin to close at midnight on Friday. |
What next? | |
The Senate is expected to vote at around midday on Friday on a measure that the House approved a day earlier by 217-185. | |
The Republican president was meeting senators from his own party beforehand, according to the White House, to discuss "the funding bill and the importance of border security". | |
Any partial shutdown would be the third such closure of federal agencies in 2018. | |
And if it occurs, it may not be settled until after the New Year, when Democrats take control of the House. | |
What did Mr Trump say? | What did Mr Trump say? |
In early morning tweets on Friday, Mr Trump accused Democrats of "trying to belittle the concept of a Wall, calling it old fashioned". | In early morning tweets on Friday, Mr Trump accused Democrats of "trying to belittle the concept of a Wall, calling it old fashioned". |
"The fact is there is nothing else's that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years. It's like the wheel, there is nothing better," Mr Trump wrote. | "The fact is there is nothing else's that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years. It's like the wheel, there is nothing better," Mr Trump wrote. |
"In Israel the Wall is 99.9% successful," he added. "Will not be any different on our Southern Border!" | "In Israel the Wall is 99.9% successful," he added. "Will not be any different on our Southern Border!" |
"If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don't want Open Borders and Crime!" | "If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don't want Open Borders and Crime!" |
Mr Trump - who will postpone his holiday in Florida in the event of a shutdown, aides say - urged Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to invoke the so-called "nuclear option". | Mr Trump - who will postpone his holiday in Florida in the event of a shutdown, aides say - urged Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to invoke the so-called "nuclear option". |
What is the 'nuclear option'? | What is the 'nuclear option'? |
It would allow the budget to pass by a simple majority of 51 votes, rather than the 60 currently required under Senate rules. | |
The president's fellow Republicans currently have 51 seats in the 100-seat Senate. | The president's fellow Republicans currently have 51 seats in the 100-seat Senate. |
But Mr McConnell has repeatedly refused in the past to invoke such an extreme legislative manoeuvre. | But Mr McConnell has repeatedly refused in the past to invoke such an extreme legislative manoeuvre. |
Many Republican senators on Friday made clear their staunch opposition to the "nuclear option". | |
They warned it would be politically explosive in an upper chamber that prides itself on cross-party comity. | |
Retiring Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona tweeted: "Deploying the nuclear option would blow that [bipartisanship] up. I will not vote to do it." | |
Democrat Senator Carl Levin of Michigan said it would be "like allowing the home team to change the rules in the middle of the game". | |
What happens if the government closes? | What happens if the government closes? |
Roughly a quarter of the federal government - including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State, and Justice - will shut down at midnight on Friday if no deal is reached. | Roughly a quarter of the federal government - including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture, State, and Justice - will shut down at midnight on Friday if no deal is reached. |
National parks and forests will be closed. | National parks and forests will be closed. |
But federal programmes on pensions and healthcare will continue to function, as will the military, border patrol, coast guard, federal judiciary, air traffic control and airport security. | But federal programmes on pensions and healthcare will continue to function, as will the military, border patrol, coast guard, federal judiciary, air traffic control and airport security. |
The US Postal Service, which is delivering millions of packages before Christmas, will also be unaffected as it is an independent agency. | The US Postal Service, which is delivering millions of packages before Christmas, will also be unaffected as it is an independent agency. |
Federal workers who are deemed "essential" will also remain on the job, but will not receive a pay cheque directly before the Christmas holiday. | Federal workers who are deemed "essential" will also remain on the job, but will not receive a pay cheque directly before the Christmas holiday. |
What's the other reaction? | |
"Ugh, are you ruing my life?" said Republican Senator Susan Collins when she was informed by reporters that Mr Trump had promised to veto a budget deal that did not include funding for a wall on US-Mexico border. | "Ugh, are you ruing my life?" said Republican Senator Susan Collins when she was informed by reporters that Mr Trump had promised to veto a budget deal that did not include funding for a wall on US-Mexico border. |
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called the shutdown "100% avoidable", accusing Mr Trump of "choosing funding for his ineffective and wasteful border wall over what's best for our country". | |
Meanwhile, a US military veteran's grassroots $1bn fundraiser to erect a border wall, and "help President Trump make America safe again", has raised over $11m. | Meanwhile, a US military veteran's grassroots $1bn fundraiser to erect a border wall, and "help President Trump make America safe again", has raised over $11m. |
A rival online campaign, called "Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall", has raised nearly $75,000 in its first day. | A rival online campaign, called "Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall", has raised nearly $75,000 in its first day. |