On the first day of the U. S. government shutdown, President Donald Trump said he was continuing to negotiate with Democrats to end the impasse over the federal budget, but warned that “it could be a long stay” as he repeated his call for improved border security.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On the first day of the U. S. government shutdown, President Donald Trump said he was continuing to negotiate with Democrats to end the impasse over the federal budget, but warned that “it could be a long stay” as he repeated his call for improved border security.
Trump has demanded $5 billion to help finance construction of a fence along the U. S.-Mexico border, something Democrats in Congress have resisted.
“We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay,” Trump said on Twitter on Saturday.
The U. S. Senate and the House of Representatives will be in session on Saturday as congressional leaders try to hammer out a spending agreement to end the stalemate.
Trump also said on Twitter he would be inviting lawmakers to the White House on Saturday to discuss the situation – saying the talks would be on border security – but did not provide details on who would attend.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, speaking on the Senate floor, said no votes would be held until a deal is struck by Democrats and the White House.
“We pushed the pause button until the president, from whom we will need a signature, and Senate Democrats, from whom we will need votes, reach an agreement,” McConnell said.
The shutdown went into effect after Trump threw a wrench into the works earlier in the week by refusing to agree to a short-term funding deal cut by Democratic and Republican senators because it did not include the funds for his border wall.
The U. S. House of Representatives, where Republicans have a majority until Democrats take over on Jan.
