PREZ GOES SOUTH AS DEADLOCK DRAGS ON
Heads to border in push for wall $$
WASHINGTON — President Trump is headed to the southern border today — and 800,000 federal workers stand to miss a paycheck Friday — as talks with Democratic leaders over border wall funding broke down with Trump walking out, leaving both sides more dug in than ever. Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Trump’s walkout a “temper tantrum” and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump “petulant” and swiped at his negotiation skills. Trump had his own view.
“Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time,” Trump tweeted shortly after the White House meeting ended Wednesday. “I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!”
Pelosi went on the offensive after the brief meeting in the White House Situation Room.
“If the president of the United States says, ‘My way or the highway,’ there is nothing to negotiate,” the California lawmaker said. “How pathetic is his argument that he doesn’t even think he can prevail in a negotiation if he has to shut down government to strengthen his hand?”
The dramatic impasse sends the partial government shutdown closer to entering its fourth week, as 380,000 federal employees remain furloughed and another 420,000 continue to work without being paid.
Earlier in the day, Trump said he couldn’t back down from his border barrier demand because Republican lawmakers hold it against him.
“The first ones that would hit me would be my senators — they’d be angry at me,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
But U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she voiced concern about the ongoing shutdown to Trump. She is one of several Republicans, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Cory Gardner of Colorado, who favor reopening the government while negotiations over border security continue.
Several House Republicans also joined Democrats to vote in favor of bills that would reopen parts of the government while negotiations over Homeland Security border funding continue. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he would not bring any such bill to the floor if Trump promises a veto.
Meanwhile, Trump will travel to the border near McAllen, Texas, today. According to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, he will “meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis.”
Trump also said he might declare a national emergency and try to authorize the wall on his own if Congress won’t approve the $5.7 billion he’s asking for to build a wall.