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Trump and Democrats play blame game over government shutdown Trump and Democrats play blame game over government shutdown
(about 3 hours later)
The US awoke on Saturday to a partial government shutdown, after Democrats in Congress refused to fund Donald Trump’s border wall and the president in turn refused to sign budget legislation. A battle to apportion blame duly followed. With the US under the first day of a partial government shutdown, Donald Trump and Democrats sought to apportion the blame.
As hundreds of thousands of federal workers were either forced to take unpaid time off or forced to work without pay at the start of the Christmas season, the president said Americans should “call it a Democrat shutdown” and said it “could be a long stay”.
US government shutdown: what is it, will it happen and who's to blame?US government shutdown: what is it, will it happen and who's to blame?
Trump said Americans should “call it a Democrat shutdown” and said it “could be a long stay”. Democratic leaders said the president had thrown “a temper tantrum”. Democratic leaders blamed Trump for a “temper tantrum” – and pointed out that only last week, the president said he would welcome a shutdown over border security and would in fact be proud to force one.
Federal government operations will be disrupted and hundreds of thousands of workers will either be furloughed – forced to take unpaid time off – or work without payin the run-up to Christmas. The shutdown occurred after Trump demanded budget legislation including funding for a wall on the southern border with Mexico – a key campaign promise – and Democrats refused to give it to him.
The shutdown is the third in a year, the result of partisan dysfunction notable even by Washington standards. After an even more tumultuous week than usual under Trump, which included the resignation of the defense secretary, James Mattis, stock markets closed well down on Friday after their worst week in a decade. Speaking in the Senate on Saturday, minority leader Chuck Schumer addressed the president directly, saying: “If you want to open the government, you must abandon the wall.”
The shutdown began at midnight. Trump remained at the White House on Saturday, his planned Christmas vacation in Florida on hold. At first he did not tweet, but in a video posted to social media on Friday night, the president said: “Now it’s up to the Senate, and it’s really up to the Democrats, because we need their votes. We’re going to have a shutdown. There’s nothing we can do about that. President Trump has said more than 25 times that he wanted a shutdown and now he has gotten what he wanted
Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, said the onus for coming up with a solution was now on the Democrats and Trump.
Trump had seemed set to avoid a shutdown. Then he reversed under pressure from rightwing media and backed a bill passed by House Republicans that gave him wall funding but which stood no chance of gaining the necessary votes in the Senate.
The shutdown is the third in a year, the result of partisan dysfunction notable even by Washington standards. The national mood has been affected. After an even more tumultuous week than usual under Trump, which included the resignation of the defense secretary, James Mattis, stock markets closed well down on Friday after their worst week in a decade. On Saturday Trump lost another senior government official, the anti-Isis envoy Brett McGurk.
The shutdown began at midnight. Trump remained at the White House, his Christmas vacation in Florida on hold. The first lady, Melania Trump, flew to Mar-a-Lago on Friday. The president’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, key advisers, remained in Washington.
In a video posted to social media on Friday night, Trump said: “Now it’s up to the Senate, and it’s really up to the Democrats, because we need their votes. We’re going to have a shutdown. There’s nothing we can do about that.
“Call it a Democrat shutdown, call it whatever you want. Let’s work together, let’s be bipartisan and let’s get it done. The shutdown hopefully will not last long.”“Call it a Democrat shutdown, call it whatever you want. Let’s work together, let’s be bipartisan and let’s get it done. The shutdown hopefully will not last long.”
Democrats pointed out that Trump had previously said he would welcome a shutdown over the border wall question, and would be proud to force one. In a statement, Schumer and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said: “Instead of honouring his responsibility to the American people, President Trump threw a temper tantrum and convinced House Republicans to push our nation into a destructive Trump shutdown in the middle of the holiday season.
Democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi said in a statement: “Instead of honouring his responsibility to the American people, President Trump threw a temper tantrum and convinced House Republicans to push our nation into a destructive Trump shutdown in the middle of the holiday season.
“President Trump has said more than 25 times that he wanted a shutdown and now he has gotten what he wanted.”“President Trump has said more than 25 times that he wanted a shutdown and now he has gotten what he wanted.”
The House and Senate reconvened at noon, eastern time. Speaking in the Senate, Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said the onus for coming up with a solution was now on the Democrats and Trump. In their overnight statement, Schumer and Pelosi said that if the shutdown persisted, Democrats would pass legislation to reopen the government when they take over the House in January.
Call it a miracle: how strangers got two caravan families across the borderCall it a miracle: how strangers got two caravan families across the border
Trump had seemed set to avoid a shutdown, before reversing under pressure from rightwing media and backing a House bill that gave him funding for his border wall, a key campaign promise. Schumer and Pelosi also said that if the shutdown persisted, Democrats would pass legislation to reopen the government when they take over the House in January.
The billionaire Tom Steyer, who has campaigned for Trump’s impeachment and is reported to be considering a run for the presidency, said in a statement on Saturday the shutdown was “just another example of why Trump is unfit for office”. The billionaire Tom Steyer, who has campaigned for Trump’s impeachment and is reported to be considering a run for the presidency, said in a statement the shutdown was “just another example of why Trump is unfit for office”.
He added: “We need a president who fights for the American people and improves our country, not one who threatens the jobs and well-being of federal employees to promote his racist agenda.”He added: “We need a president who fights for the American people and improves our country, not one who threatens the jobs and well-being of federal employees to promote his racist agenda.”
The shutdown was reported to be among issues – including market instability, Trump’s surprise announcement of the withdrawal of troops from Syria and the resignation of Mattis – placing pressure on the president’s relations with Republicans in the Senate, a bloc key to fighting off any impeachment effort. The shutdown was reported to be among issues – including market instability, Trump’s surprise announcement of the withdrawal of troops from Syria and the resignation of Mattis – placing pressure on Trump’s relations with Republicans in the Senate, a bloc key to fighting off any impeachment effort.
When Trump did tweet on Saturday, shortly after 11am, it was to defend his behaviour and slam media reports. The president’s first tweet on Saturday, shortly after 11am, aimed to defend his behaviour.
“I am in the White House, working hard,” the president wrote. “News reports concerning the Shutdown and Syria are mostly FAKE. We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay.” “I am in the White House, working hard,” he wrote. “News reports concerning the Shutdown and Syria are mostly FAKE. We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay.”
He subsequently said a “large group concerning border security” would meet for lunch at the White House. He subsequently said a “large group concerning border security” would meet for lunch at the White House. The White House provided a list of lunch guests, all presidential aides and Republicans from Congress but none of them party leaders.
The first lady, Melania Trump, flew to Florida on Friday. The president’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, key advisers, remained in Washington.
Current inmates feel left behind by Trump's criminal justice reform bill
In a memo to government executives on Friday, the White House budget chief and incoming acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said the administration was “hopeful that this lapse in appropriations will be of short duration” and that employees should report to work when scheduled to “undertake orderly shutdown activities”.In a memo to government executives on Friday, the White House budget chief and incoming acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said the administration was “hopeful that this lapse in appropriations will be of short duration” and that employees should report to work when scheduled to “undertake orderly shutdown activities”.
Those being furloughed include nearly all staff at Nasa and 52,000 workers at the Internal Revenue Service. About eight in 10 employees of the National Park Service will stay home and many parks are expected to close. The Senate passed legislation ensuring workers will receive back pay, which the House seems sure to approve. Current inmates feel left behind by Trump's criminal justice reform bill
Some agencies, including the defense, veterans’ affairs and health and human services departments, were already funded for the year. The US Postal Service, which is busy in the holiday season, will not be affected because it is an independent agency. Social security checks will still be mailed, troops will remain on duty and food inspections will continue. Those being furloughed include nearly all staff at Nasa and 52,000 workers at the Internal Revenue Service. About eight in 10 employees of the National Park Service will stay home. The Senate passed legislation ensuring workers will receive back pay, which the House seems sure to approve.
The FBI, border patrol and coast guard are also still functioning. Transportation Security Administration officers will continue to staff airport checkpoints and air traffic controllers will also remain at work. Some agencies, including the defense, veterans’ affairs and health and human services departments, were already funded. The US Postal Service will not be affected because it is an independent agency. The FBI, border patrol and coast guard are also still functioning. Transportation Security Administration officers will continue to staff airport checkpoints and air traffic controllers will also remain at work.
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