Trump to visit border
Primetime address on wall
WASHINGTON: Aiming to bolster his case for a wall along the United States border with Mexico, President Donald Trump said yesterday he would make a primetime televised address and visit the border this week as the Government marked its 17th day of a partial shutdown.
Democrats, who now control the US House of Representatives, have rejected Trump’s demand for $US5.7 billion ($NZ8.5 billion) to help build a wall. Without a deal on that, talks to fund the Government have stalled.
Vicepresident Mike Pence said yesterday Trump had not made a decision about his threat to declare a national emergency and build a wall without congressional approval.
Trump’s speech, planned for 3pm today (NZ time), and the border trip tomorrow underscore his resolve not to back off his 2016 campaign promise to build a wall he believes will stem illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He promised during the campaign Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico has refused to do so.
All the major US television networks agreed to air Trump’s speech.
Democrats in Congress, who say a wall would be expensive, inefficient and immoral, called for the networks to grant them equal time in a joint statement issued by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
‘‘Now that the television networks have decided to air the president’s address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime,’’ the statement said.
Pressure to reach a deal to end the shutdown is likely to grow as its effects are increasingly felt, including possible cuts in food stamp programmes for the poor.
White House Office of Management and Budget acting director Russ Vought said yesterday tax refunds would be distributed, despite the shutdown.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced the border trip on Twitter without providing details. The visit is likely to highlight security concerns pushed by the Administration as justification for the wall.
‘‘The president’s position is: There is a crisis at the southern border, and Democrats are refusing to negotiate,’’ Pence said.
The emphasis on a ‘‘crisis’’ could be the Administration’s attempt to lay the groundwork for a potential emergency declaration. Such a decision would almost certainly face a legal challenge.
Trump has tried to link terrorism to illegal immigration, without providing evidence, as justification for the plan.
Democrats say there has been no evidence of suspected terrorists coming through the southern border and that Trump has no grounds to declare a national emergency over the issue.