Trump nixes plan to open government

No delays on securing border, president says

“Republicans started the #TrumpShutdown – and Democrats are working to end it.” Nancy Pelosi, House speaker, in a tweet

President Donald Trump said Monday that he rejected a compromise plan to reopen the government temporarily so he could continue negotiating a border wall with his Democratic congressional foes.

En route to a speech to the American Farm Bureau Federation's convention in New Orleans, Trump blamed the Democrats for the shutdown. No negotiations have been scheduled since he walked out of a session Wednesday.

Trump said he rejected a plan from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., because he wants a permanent fix for border security, including $5.7 billion for a U.S.Mexican border wall. Graham's plan would reopen the government for three weeks while the two sides negotiated.

“I want to get it solved,” Trump said.

“I don't want to just delay it.”

On the shutdown's 24th day, a record, Trump said, “I don't know if we're close on a deal.”

Earlier in the morning, on Twitter, Trump blamed Democratic leaders Sen. Charles Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the shutdown, saying they should sign on to his wall plan.

“Nancy and Cryin' Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes,” Trump said. “At this point it has become their, and the Democrats, fault!”

Schumer, Pelosi and other Democrats said the shutdown is the result of Trump's insistence on a wall they said would be ineffective. They noted he rejected compromises that would have reopened the government.

In a tweeted response to Trump, Pelosi said Monday that Democrats are pushing their own plan to reopen the government while border security negotiations continue, but Trump and the Republican-run Senate are blocking it.

“The truth?” Pelosi tweeted. “Republicans started the #TrumpShutdown – and Democrats are working to end it. @realDonaldTrump, it's time for you to stop standing in the way of re-opening the government. Let the Senate vote! #EndTheShutdown.”

Back at the White House, Trump again declared he has the authority to declare a national emergency on the border, which would allow him to use defense money for a wall – a move that would trigger lawsuits from Democrats who said Trump lacks the legal authority to declare an emergency in this case.

Since raising the possibility last week, Trump said he wants to hold off any declaration, saying he and Congress should work out the wall dispute.

“I'm not looking to call a national emergency,” Trump said Monday.

In blaming the Democrats, Trump stressed that the party controls the House of Representatives and has the votes to block action in the Senate with a filibuster.

“The Democrats have to do something,” Trump said. “We need their votes. Otherwise, we can't solve it without their votes.”