‘I have no idea’ says Trump, on wall deal

PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said he has “no idea” whether he can get a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for his border wall as the partial US government shutdown slipped into the record books.

The President did not tip his hand on whether he would move ahead with an emergency declaration that could break the impasse, free up money for his wall without congressional approval and kick off legal challenges and a political storm over the use of that extraordinary step.

Earlier, he said he was not ready to do it “right now”.

Politicians are due back in Washington today from their states and congressional districts.

Mr Trump fired off a series of tweets pushing back against the notion that he does not have a strategy to end what became the longest government shutdown in US history when it entered its 22nd day on Saturday.

“Elections have consequences!” he declared, meaning the 2016 election in which “I promised safety and security” and, as part of that, a border wall.

Mr Trump threatened anew that the shutdown could continue indefinitely as the Democrats, who now control the House, refuse to give him money for the wall.

Later on Saturday, he telephoned Fox News Channel’s Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro from the White House. Ms Pirro pressed Mr Trump on why he had yet to declare a national emergency. He said he was giving Congress a chance to “act responsibly”.

The President is expected this week to sign legislation passed by Congress to provide back pay for some 800,000 federal workers who are not being paid during the shutdown.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, travelling in Abu Dhabi, claimed that morale was good among US diplomats even as many work without pay. “We’re doing our best to make sure it doesn’t impact our diplomacy,” he said.

‘I promised safety and security’ and, as part of that, a border wall. President Trump, speaking about his 2016 election pledge.

Almost half of the State Department employees in the US and about one-quarter abroad have been granted a leave of absence during the shutdown.

With the exception of certain local employees overseas, the rest are working without pay, such as those tasked with supporting Mr Pompeo’s trip, which has thus far taken him to Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Bahrain.

An emergency declaration by Mr Trump could break the stalemate by letting him use existing, unspent money to build the US-Mexico border wall, without needing congressional approval.