Trump has promised major announcement on shutdown

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has promised a “major announcement” about the ongoing government shutdown as it entered its 29th day on Saturday, while Democrats hope to increase pressure on his presidency by pursuing allegations by his former lawyer that Trump had made him lie to Congress.

Trump tweeted on Friday night that he will make the announcement at 3 p.m. on Saturday from the White House “concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border and the Shutdown”. While he left the nation in suspense about his plans, there was a small sign of progress in finding a solution to the shutdown with the Democrats offering to add $1.87 billion to the budget for border security, but not for the wall.

Trump has been adamant about getting $5.7 billion in the budget to build the wall along the Mexican border, which the Democrats have refused with equal vehemence.

Because of their disagreement there is no budget and all but the essential government operations have been shutdown temporarily because there is no money to pay for them. About 800,000 workers are off work because of the shutdown and most, including those working, haven’t been paid since 11 January.

At the border with Mexico, about 7,000 Central Americans who came in a caravan hoping to enter the US are camped out there in make-shift shelter and some have been repelled by the border patrol with teargas when they tried to crash the border. Another caravan of thousands is on its way.