December 28, 2018

Trump Threatens to Close Border and Cut Off Aid to Central American Countries

The president does not appear to be winning the fight over the government shutdown.

Zach Gibson/ZUMA

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Nearly a week into a government shutdown that has left an estimated 800,000 federal workers furloughed or working without pay, President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to close the US-Mexico border and cut off aid to three Central American countries if Democrats did not agree to appropriate $5 billion to fund his proposed border wall.

The series of angry tweets came as a new poll showed more Americans blame the president than congressional Democrats for the government impasse, which has shuttered nine government agencies. Trump, who initially signaled that he would be “proud” to shut down the government over his border security demands, has refused to sign a short-term spending bill that would have temporarily funded the government until February because it did not include his $5 billion to build a border wall. Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for border security.

The partial shutdown is all but certain to extend into the new year. House Democrats are reportedly contemplating three different options to reopen the government. None of these reported plans will include Trump’s $5 billion demands.

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