Trump warns
that a government shutdown is possible soon.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that a government shutdown was possible this weekend because Democrats were demanding to have “illegal immigrants pouring into our country,” tossing incendiary rhetoric onto a partisan showdown that had been showing signs of easing.
Trump’s comments risked roiling a White House meeting with congressional leaders of both parties planned for Thursday aimed at averting a shutdown and sorting through year-end disputes over the budget, immigration and other issues.
With money for federal agencies running out at midnight Friday, Republican leaders plan to push a bill through Congress this week financing the government through Dec. 22. That would give bargainers time to work through their disagreements, but they will need Democratic votes to succeed.
Democrats have been using their leverage to insist on spending boosts for health care, infrastructure and other domestic programs that would match increases Republicans want for defense.
Democrats are also seeking an agreement to extend protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children. Trump ended safeguards against deportation three months ago but has expressed an openness to restoring them.
“It could happen,” Trump said about a shutdown. He said Democrats “want to have illegal immigrants pouring into our country bringing with them crime, tremendous amounts of crime. We don’t want to have that. We want to have a great, beautiful crime-free country.”
His remarks before a Cabinet meeting drew a tweet from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, DCalif. She called Trump “the only person talking about a government shutdown” and said Democrats hoped Trump would consider “an agreement to address the urgent needs of the American people and keep government open.”
Hours later, the White House released a more conciliatory statement that praised Congress’ top Democrats, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The statement by spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said the two Democrats had decided to “put their responsibility to the American people above partisanship” and said Trump was anticipating productive talks between “leaders who put their differences aside.”
Trump had criticized Pelosi and Schumer, D-N.Y., shortly before a similar meeting last week, which Democrats then boycotted.
It was unclear what Trump was referring to with his initial, more hostile remarks.
Democrats have opposed his plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico, but have expressed a willingness to fund other border security measures. Democrats have also opposed Trump’s effort to stop letting legal immigrants apply to bring their relatives to the U.S.
Trump also referenced his ban on travel into the U.S. from six Muslim nations, saying, “We don’t want to have radical Islamic terrorism in this country.” While Democrats have opposed that ban, the issue hasn’t appeared to be part of the budget talks.
Earlier Wednesday, hard-right House conservatives signaled an openness to a short-term spending bill.
“We’ve got to get across the finish line on tax reform,” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., leader of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters after the group met privately early Wednesday. “Any distraction from that is a problem.” Asked if a federal shutdown would be a problem, he said, “Of course.”
Top Republicans are adamant about not sparking a federal shutdown that would deal the latest blow to a party that has strained all year to show it can govern effectively. They want voters riveted on the party’s nearly $1.5 trillion tax bill, the paramount priority for them and Trump.
Meadows said his group had not taken a final position on whether it will back the short-term bill, but he and several other conservatives stopped short of saying they would oppose it.
He and conservative leader Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, met with top House Republicans and said they were seeking a strategy to reduce Democrats’ budget leverage by quickly approving a fullyear budget for the military. It was unclear how Republicans could prevent Senate Democrats from blocking such a move.