The White House traded salvos with Senate Democrats Saturday as both sides dug into opposing positions as the first day of the federal government shutdown…
The White House traded salvos with Senate Democrats Saturday as both sides dug into opposing positions as the first day of the federal government shutdown dragged on.
“[Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer is going to have to up his game and become more honest with the president of the United States,” Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney said in an afternoon press conference.
Mulvaney and White House legislative director Marc Short emphasized that negotiations over immigration policy – including the fate of people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program who were brought to the U. S. illegally as children – will remain stalled until Democrats agree to reopen the government.
Short said that Trump is willing to sign a compromise resolution that would restore federal funds for a three-week window, rather than the four-week funding bill that the Senate rejected late Friday.
Mulvaney swiped at Schumer after the New York senator slammed Trump for shifting positions during a meeting Friday that was a last-ditch attempt to set a deal.
“Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jello,” Schumer said on Saturday afternoon.
Short laid the impasse at the Democrats’ feet.
“They are held captive by a small base in their party… who look at all this administration has accomplished and say, ‘Because we can’t beat ‘em we’re gonna shut down the government,’” he said.
