President Trump may cave again on his demand for $5 billion in border-wall funding, delaying the spending fight until next month so as to not disrupt Christmas.
Trump’s shutdown promise
The putting off of the fight over border-wall funding is reportedly being considered by the President after he signed a short-term, two-week spending bill into law that lacked the spending he requested for border security. (RELATED: Congress Passes Short-Term Spending Bill to Avert Government Shutdown With No Wall Funding.)
Democrats are resisting the demand for wall funding, specifically in the U.S. Senate, where 60 votes are needed to pass any new appropriation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already vowed to defy Trump’s demands. (RELATED: Chuck Schumer Makes It ‘Crystal Clear’ He Wants No Additional Funding For Border Wall.)
Without a new spending deal passed, the government is set to shut down this Friday. President Trump has already gone on the record stating that he’d be “proud” to shut down the government absent any wall funding.
TRUMP to SCHUMER: “I am proud to shut down the government for border security, chuck. People in this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country” pic.twitter.com/E8CRW9k7pe
— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) December 11, 2018
Trump considering another delay
But, Politico reports that Trump is mulling over yet another deal to delay the border wall fight until after Christmas:
President Donald Trump is mulling the prospect of making a counter-offer to Democratic leaders that would prevent a partial government shutdown and kick the border wall fight into next year, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.
While the specifics of that offer are unclear, Republicans on Capitol Hill are increasingly considering a two-week stop-gap that would fund the government into January. Roughly a quarter of the federal government will shut down next Friday absent a bipartisan deal.
This acquiescence may cause less of a headache for congressmen before Christmas, but it’s yet another betrayal from the President and Republicans to fight over the border wall.
No border wall yet is a disgrace
We’ve had a Republican Congress and a Republican president for nearly two years. Trump ran on constructing a border wall. That no spending plan has passed fully funding the partition between our border with Mexico is a disgrace.
If Trump is going to have a chance of reelection in 2020, he needs to get his border wall started. (RELATED: President Donald Trump Needs to Put Up or Shut Up on Immigration.) Otherwise, he’ll be doomed to lose to his Democrat opponent.
