Chris Kleponis/ZUMA
President Donald Trump on Friday warned Senate Democrats that he was willing to shut down the government “for a very long time” if they did not support a funding bill that included his demands for a $5 billion border wall along the US-Mexico border.
In a string of tweets, the president also praised House Republicans for passing a bill on Thursday that included the $5 billion in border wall funding. “No matter what happens today in the Senate, Republican House Members should be very proud of themselves,” Trump said. He urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fight “as hard as he has fought for anything” to secure enough votes to get the measure passed.
The Senate is widely expected to reject the measure.
After appearing to cave on the border wall earlier this week, Trump on Thursday threw the government into chaos by refusing to sign a stopgap measure that would have kept the government funded until February because it didn’t meet his border wall demands.
On Friday, Trump signaled that he was ready to blame Democrats for a potential shutdown, directly contradicting his public statements last week vowing to own a shutdown over border security. “I am proud to shut down the government for border security,” Trump told Democratic leaders during a televised meeting in the Oval Office last week.
“I will take the mantle. I will shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it.”
No matter what happens today in the Senate, Republican House Members should be very proud of themselves. They flew back to Washington from all parts of the World in order to vote for Border Security and the Wall. Not one Democrat voted yes, and we won big. I am very proud of you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED. If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
