Trump relents, signs budget bill
Decides it’s OK because of funding for military
“I am just down the street and will bring you a pen.” Sen. Bob Corker Tennessee Republican who urged President Trump to veto the bill
WASHINGTON – President Trump took Washington on another wild ride Friday — first threatening to trigger a government shutdown with a spending bill veto, then just as abruptly changing his mind and signing a $ 1.3 trillion budget plan after all.
“There are a lot of things that I’m unhappy about in this bill ... I will never sign another bill like this again,” Trump said during a hastily arranged signing ceremony, but he decided to so because the plan includes necessary military spending.
The latest Trump mini- drama began, as it often does, with a tweet.
Shortly before 9 a. m., Trump stunned Republican lawmakers by threatening to veto the spending bill because of lingering disputes over funding for a U. S.- Mexico border wall and the failure to address an immigration program.
While Trump’s own budget director, Mick Mulvaney, had announced the day before that the president would sign the bill, Trump political supporters criticized the plan on social media and cable television. They protested the bill’s cost and said Trump had been outflanked on the wall and other items.
Lawmakers, many of whom were out of town when Trump sent his veto threat, had little choice but to tweet expressions of support or criticism. Trump, meanwhile, spoke with advisers, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a supporter of the defense increases in the bill.
Shortly after 12: 30 p. m., Trump announced hewould soon have something more to say on the subject.
Less than an hour later, Trump made his new announcement.
During a rambling, 22- minute statement in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Trump also talked about trade deals and invited guests such as Mattis and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to the podium to discuss their efforts.
Along the way, Trump again called for an end to the filibuster rule that allows the minority party to block items unless they receive 60 votes — a maneuver the Democrats used to extract concessions from Trump and the Republicans in this bill.
The president again called for a line- item veto of budget bills, even though the Supreme Court has declared that tool unconstitutional.
Trump also balked at the overall $ 1.3 trillion price tag of the bill — “the number is so large; it’ll start coming down” — but said that “we had no choice but to fund our military.”
He also vowed to keep pushing for money for his border wall.
While Trump billed the event as a “news conference,” he took only two questions.
The president repeated his explanation that although he “looked” at a veto, he decided to sign because of the defense money.
He also sloughed off market concerns about the prospects of tariffs on China.
“I think the stock market is going to be great,” Trump said. “China is going to end up treating us fairly.”
The veto tweet no doubt surprised Republican congressional leaders, who thought they had secured Trump’s approval this week.
With neither House nor Senate in session Friday, the response from members of Congress took the form of a cascade of tweets.
Oneof the first to respond. Sen. Bob Corker, R- Tenn., encouraged Trump to veto the bill.
“I am just down the street and will bring you a pen,” Corker said. “The spending levels without any offsets are grotesque, throwing all of our children under the bus. Totally irresponsible.”
Many Republicans object to Trump’s call to end the filibuster, saying it protects the rights of their party when they are in the Senate minority.