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Trump warns shutdown will last 'a very long time' if wall isn't funded Trump promises long shutdown if he does not get money for border wall
(about 1 hour later)
Donald Trump has threatened “a shutdown that will last for a very long time” if he does not get money for his US border wall on Friday, as the federal government braced for a partial closure that could begin at midnight. Donald Trump has threatened “a very long shutdown” of the US government if he does not get money for his US-Mexico border wall, as deadlock in Washington left it facing a partial closure at midnight.
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The shutdown would disrupt government operations and leave hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or forced to work without pay just days before Christmas. The shutdown would disrupt government operations and leave hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or forced to work without pay, days before Christmas.
Trump convened Republican senators for a lengthy meeting at the White House on Friday afternoon, but it produced no clear path toward passage of a government-funding bill containing billions for wall construction. It would also plunge Trump’s presidency deeper into crisis after a week that has also seen the resignation of Jim Mattis, the defense secretary, in protest at his snap decision to withdraw troops from Syria as well as stocks suffering their worst week for a decade.
On Thursday night the House passed a budget bill that includes $5.7bn the president wants to begin building a wall along the US-Mexico border, but that bill is almost certain to fail in the Senate. Despite previously claiming that he would be “proud” to shut down the government over border security, Trump sought on Friday to blame Democrats.
The Senate began a procedural vote on the legislation on Friday afternoon, but was stuck in a long holding pattern waiting for the return of senators who had already left town. “The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED,” he said in a tweet. “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!”
“The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED,” Trump said Friday morning in a tweet. “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!” Later, at a bill signing in the Oval Office, Trump reiterated: “Now it’s up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown tonight. I hope we don’t, but we’re totally prepared for a very long shutdown.”
The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED. 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! This is tyranny of talk radio hosts, right? You have two talk radio hosts who completely flipped the president
On Wednesday, there appeared to be bipartisan agreement to pass temporary spending bills keeping the government running at its current funding level through 8 February, which did not include the $5bn in federal funding Trump had demanded to build his long-promised border wall with Mexico. This despite all his campaign promises that Mexico would end up paying for such a wall, which Mexico has declined to do. With Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives next month, it is a critical moment for the border wall, a promise Trump made on the day he launched his election campaign in June 2015 and has repeated countless times since.
That bill was passed, approving $1.3bn to keep several government agencies open. The White House had signaled they were ready to accept it. On Wednesday, there appeared to be bipartisan agreement to pass temporary spending bills keeping the government running at its current funding level through 8 February, which did not include the $5bn in federal funding Trump had demanded to build the wall.
But Trump reversed course after criticism from conservative allies, insisting he would not sign a bill without wall money. That bill was passed, approving $1.3bn to keep several government agencies open. The White House had signaled that it was ready to accept it. But Trump reversed course after criticism from conservative allies and broadcasters such as Rush Limbaugh, insisting he would not sign a bill without wall money.
“Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!” Trump said early Friday in a tweet. Senators were aghast. Bob Corker of Tennessee told reporters: “This is tyranny of talk radio hosts, right? And so, how do you deal with that? You have two talk radio hosts who completely flipped the president. And so, do we succumb to tyranny of talk radio hosts?”
“Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything. He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen. If enough Dems don’t vote, it will be a Democrat Shutdown! House Republicans were great yesterday!” he said. On Thursday night the House passed a budget bill that includes $5.7bn to begin building the wall. But that bill was effectively dead on arrival in the Senate. The Senate began a procedural vote on the legislation on Friday afternoon, but was stuck in a long holding pattern waiting for the return of senators who had left town.
Last week, Trump made it clear that he is the one responsible if the government does shut down. “I am proud to shut down the government for border security,” he said in a meeting with congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it.” Hawaii senator Brian Schatz, a Democrat, flew to Honolulu, only to have to turn around immediately and take a flight back to Washington. “Wheels down IAD ready to vote no on this stupid wall,” he said on Twitter Friday morning, referring to Dulles international airport, which serves Washington DC.
If the midnight deadline passes with no legislation in place, funding will expire for nine of the 15 cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies. Some 800,000 federal workers will either be put on leave or forced to work without pay. Trump tried to persuade Republicans to change Senate rules to allow the bill the pass but the idea was flatly rejected by majority leader Mitch McConnell.
The stock market has plunged, on pace for its worst month in a decade. Behind the scenes, there were frantic attempts to break the impasse. Trump convened Republican senators for a lengthy meeting at the White House, then his vice-president Mike Pence, senior adviser Jared Kushner and incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney huddled with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer on Capitol Hill.
Scrambling to keep up with the president, Republicans in the House of Representatives late on Thursday passed a remade spending bill with $5.7bn for Trump’s wall built in. If they cannot strike a deal before midnight, funding will expire for nine of the 15 cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies. Some 800,000 federal workers will either be put on leave or forced to work without pay.
Senators were then obliged to begin rushing back to the capital to deal with the crisis, after many had left town for the holidays once they passed the budget extension. Democratic leaders said they would not budge in their opposition to the border wall.
Hawaii senator Brian Schatz, a Democrat, flew to Honolulu, only to have to turn around immediately and take a flight back to Washington. Schumer said: “The Trump temper tantrum will shut down the government, but it will not get him his wall.”
“Wheels down IAD ready to vote no on this stupid wall,” he said on Twitter Friday morning, referring to Dulles international airport, which serves Washington DC. Trump, who has taken to redefining his proposed wall as a series of steel-slatted fencing akin to much of the existing barrier, on Friday argued that a wall could do the job of sealing the border better than advanced technology.
Democratic leaders say they won’t budge in their opposition to the border wall.
“The Trump temper tantrum will shut down the government, but it will not get him his wall,” said Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer. “The bill that’s on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate.”
Trump, who has taken to redefining his proposed border wall as a series of steel-slatted fencing akin to much of the existing barrier, on Friday argued that a wall could do the job of sealing the border better than advanced technology.
“The Democrats are 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,” he said in a flurry of early morning tweets.“The Democrats are 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,” he said in a flurry of early morning tweets.
“It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better. I know tech better than anyone, & technology.....on a Border is only effective in conjunction with a Wall. Properly designed and built Walls work, and the Democrats are lying when they say they don’t,” he posted. “It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better. I know tech better than anyone, & technology … on a Border is only effective in conjunction with a Wall. Properly designed and built Walls work, and the Democrats are lying when they say they don’t.”
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
US politicsUS politics
US-Mexico borderUS-Mexico border
US SenateUS Senate
House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives
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