Despite insisting he wouldn’t cave on funding for the building of a border wall, President Trump announced a deal to reopen the federal government without any such money. And Democrats are celebrating as if they just won back the White House.
Trump made an announcement in the Rose Garden on Friday that a short-term deal had been reached: a bill to fund the government through February 15th, without any provisions for the wall.
“I am very proud to announce we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” he said, later referencing the border fight by stating, “Walls should not be controversial.”
The President did note the “very powerful weapon” he has at his disposal regarding a national emergency declaration.
In short, Democrats led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi got the government back in business for the time being without any significant concession. And the ‘build the wall’ bank account remains empty.
So what is going to change in three weeks?
“Democrats are going to have no incentive to give him funds for a border wall with the government open,” The Political Insider wrote earlier today. “They wouldn’t even budge when it was closed for over a month.”
Dems Celebrate the ‘Cave’
Just yesterday, President Trump took to social media to announce that he was holding strong on his demands for a wall on the southern border.
“Very simply, without a Wall it all doesn’t work,” he wrote. “Our Country has a chance to greatly reduce Crime, Human Trafficking, Gangs and Drugs. Should have been done for decades. We will not Cave!”
That very word – ‘cave’ – is being used by numerous prominent liberal pundits in describing Trump’s agreement to reopen the federal government.
I’m at the Detroit airport. Three pilots at my gate just yelled “he caved!”
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) January 25, 2019
This is the 2nd time TRUMP caved to PELOSI … just this week.
1) Pelosi cancelled SOTU, Trump said he would give speech anyway, then backed off.
2) Pelosi said reopen gov’t 1st, then negotiate. Trump said he wanted “down payment” on wall 1st, then he caved & backed CR w/no wall— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) January 25, 2019
Trump has caused unimaginable harm to millions of people for no reason, in service of a hateful agenda. He caved today. He cannot be allowed to win in three weeks.
— Leah NO WALL, CALL NOW Greenberg (@Leahgreenb) January 25, 2019
But it was conservative author Ann Coulter who took a particularly rough shot at the President, insinuating he is a ‘wimp.’
Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 25, 2019
Is There Hope?
We mentioned Trump noting his ability to declare a national emergency at the border, but he is, for some reason, hesitant to go down that path.
Still, he ended the Rose Garden gathering with a warning – come February 15th, if no fair deal is attained by Congress, a national emergency will be declared.
Trump closes by threatening to declare a natl emergency: “We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down or on February 15, again, or I will use the powers afforded to me.” pic.twitter.com/qGBXFvfljF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 25, 2019
Why wait until then? The Democrats will almost assuredly bog down the process by filing a lawsuit over the move regardless. Campaign season will be kicking into full gear shortly. Without a wall, the President will struggle to maintain energy amongst a base that supported him on this platform.
