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Trump reaffirms demand for border wall as shutdown enters 10th day Democrats unveil bill to end shutdown – without money for Trump's wall
(about 3 hours later)
Donald Trump may or may not want an actual wall along the US border with Mexico – three people close to the president suggested on Sunday he does not, but on Monday the president returned to tweeting, stridently, that he does. Democrats on Monday unveiled legislation designed to re-open the federal government, without providing money for Donald Trump’s border wall.
Democrat-controlled House faces question: what not to investigate?Democrat-controlled House faces question: what not to investigate?
Whatever the truth of the matter, the partial government shutdown Trump’s demands have caused showed no sign of ending as it entered its 10th day. According to an anonymous aide quoted by the Associated Press, the House is preparing to vote on the package on Thursday, when the new Congress will convene with Democrats in the majority in the lower chamber for the first time since 2010. It will include one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through 8 February, with $1.3bn for border security. Trump has demanded $5bn.
As it grinds on, with Democrats who take over the House on Thursday showing no willingness to provide in any funding bill the $5bn Trump wants for border security, hundreds of thousands of federal workers face increasing hardship and key government functions are cast into ever-increasing doubt. The package will include six other bills to fund the departments of agriculture, interior, housing and urban development and others closed by the partial shutdown. Some bills have already passed the Senate. Those will provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to 30 September.
Trump campaigned on the promise to build a wall and to have Mexico pay for it. Both clauses of that promise now seem open to interpretation. The president and his allies have claimed his new trade deal with Mexico, being supposedly better for the US than its predecessor, fulfils the second. Over the weekend, the Trump camp tried to explain the president’s thinking on the first. By the time the president chimed in on Monday, it seemed to fair to say they had not succeeded. Monday was the 10th day of the partial government shutdown forced by Trump’s demand for a wall. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face increasing hardship and key government functions are cast into ever-increasing doubt.
First, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the chief of staff, John Kelly, said Trump abandoned the notion of “a solid concrete wall early on in the administration”. Over the weekend, confusion reigned about whether Trump actually wants a physical wall along the border with Mexico. Three people close to the president suggested on Sunday he does not. On Monday the president returned to tweeting, stridently, that he does.
Trump campaigned on the promise to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. He and his allies have claimed a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada, being supposedly better for the US than its predecessor, fulfils the second part of the promise. Over the weekend, the Trump camp tried to explain the president’s thinking on the first.
First, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, chief of staff John Kelly said Trump abandoned the notion of “a solid concrete wall early on in the administration”.
“The president still says ‘wall’,” said Kelly, whose last day on the job is Monday. “Oftentimes frankly he’ll say ‘barrier’ or ‘fencing’, now he’s tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it.”“The president still says ‘wall’,” said Kelly, whose last day on the job is Monday. “Oftentimes frankly he’ll say ‘barrier’ or ‘fencing’, now he’s tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it.”
Senior adviser Kellyanne Conway then told Fox News Sunday: “There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements. But only saying ‘wall or no wall’ is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border.”Senior adviser Kellyanne Conway then told Fox News Sunday: “There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements. But only saying ‘wall or no wall’ is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border.”
Senator Lindsey Graham completed the job, telling reporters at the White House after lunch with Trump “the wall has become a metaphor for border security”.Senator Lindsey Graham completed the job, telling reporters at the White House after lunch with Trump “the wall has become a metaphor for border security”.
So far, so unclear. And on Monday morning, Trump duly announced: “An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!”So far, so unclear. And on Monday morning, Trump duly announced: “An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!”
Graham also said he thought a deal with Democrats might be possible, by which congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi would provide Trump’s money in return for action on the legal status of Dreamers, undocumented migrants brought to the US as children, and other migrant groups.Graham also said he thought a deal with Democrats might be possible, by which congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi would provide Trump’s money in return for action on the legal status of Dreamers, undocumented migrants brought to the US as children, and other migrant groups.
Saying the president was “open-minded”, Graham added: “Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives.”Saying the president was “open-minded”, Graham added: “Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives.”
But a previous attempt to reach a deal that addressed the Dreamers issue broke down, thanks to White House demands. Furthermore, Graham had also told CNN’s State of the Union, before his lunch with Trump: “There will never be a deal without wall funding.” But a previous attempt to reach such a deal broke down, thanks to White House demands. Furthermore, Graham had also told CNN’s State of the Union, before his lunch with Trump: “There will never be a deal without wall funding.”
The president remains at the White House, meeting allies, criticised for not reaching out to Democrats. But Democrats repeatedly refuse to discuss funding a wall and happily point to an 11 December Oval Office meeting in which Trump said he would be proud to force a shutdown on the issue. The president remains at the White House, meeting allies, criticised for not reaching out to Democrats who have happily pointed to an 11 December Oval Office meeting in which Trump said he would be proud to force a shutdown.
A proposed deal for $2.5bn, advanced via the vice-president, Mike Pence, and the Alabama Republican senator Richard Shelby, went nowhere. Conway claimed on Sunday that “the president has already compromised” by dropping his request from $25bn, and called on Democrats to return to the table.A proposed deal for $2.5bn, advanced via the vice-president, Mike Pence, and the Alabama Republican senator Richard Shelby, went nowhere. Conway claimed on Sunday that “the president has already compromised” by dropping his request from $25bn, and called on Democrats to return to the table.
“It is with them,” she said.“It is with them,” she said.
Democrats say they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist it is now Trump’s move. Democrats were unmoved.
“It’s clear the White House doesn’t know what they want when it comes to border security,” Justin Goodman, Schumer’s spokesman, told reporters. “While one White House official says they’re willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5bn for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets, blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times.”“It’s clear the White House doesn’t know what they want when it comes to border security,” Justin Goodman, Schumer’s spokesman, told reporters. “While one White House official says they’re willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5bn for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets, blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times.”
John Kelly: judge me on what Trump didn't do while I was chief of staffJohn Kelly: judge me on what Trump didn't do while I was chief of staff
Polling shows the public backs the Democrats. But any legislation passed by a Democratic House will have to be backed by the Republican Senate – and Trump.Polling shows the public backs the Democrats. But any legislation passed by a Democratic House will have to be backed by the Republican Senate – and Trump.
On Sunday Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the incoming chairman of the House rules committee, vowed to open the government. “We’re going to do our job,” he told the Associated Press. “The president should take ‘yes’ for an answer and go back to tweeting.”On Sunday Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the incoming chairman of the House rules committee, vowed to open the government. “We’re going to do our job,” he told the Associated Press. “The president should take ‘yes’ for an answer and go back to tweeting.”
Trump has never stopped: controversy rumbles on over a pair of missives in which the president blamed the recent deaths in US custody of two Guatemalan children on Democratic policies. Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat eyeing a White House run, told CNN the use of the deaths to make a political point was “the lowest act I have ever seen [from] any president in the history of this country”.Trump has never stopped: controversy rumbles on over a pair of missives in which the president blamed the recent deaths in US custody of two Guatemalan children on Democratic policies. Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat eyeing a White House run, told CNN the use of the deaths to make a political point was “the lowest act I have ever seen [from] any president in the history of this country”.
On Sunday, Trump was quieter. But after his lunch with Graham, around the time his sometime golf partner told reporters a deal might be possible, he muddied the waters again.On Sunday, Trump was quieter. But after his lunch with Graham, around the time his sometime golf partner told reporters a deal might be possible, he muddied the waters again.
“President and Mrs Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their DC mansion/compound,” Trump wrote. “I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version!”“President and Mrs Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their DC mansion/compound,” Trump wrote. “I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version!”
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
US politicsUS politics
US-Mexico borderUS-Mexico border
DemocratsDemocrats
US CongressUS Congress
House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives
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