Trump, Democrats Fail to Strike Deal in Border Security Meeting, Extend Gov’t Shutdown

Local Editor

A senior Republican leader warned that it could take “weeks” to reach a deal to end a partial government shutdown after a closed door meeting between US President Donald Trump and the Congressional leadership in the White House Situation Room.

“I don’t think any particular progress was made today”, said Mitch McConnell, the party’s Senate majority leader, although he insisted that there had been a “good discussion on border security issue”. 

He added: “We talked about all aspects of it and it was a civil discussion and we are hopeful that somehow in the coming days or weeks we will be able to reach an agreement.”

Others were less positive about ending the stalemate which has forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers to work without pay.

They will be reimbursed when an agreement is reached.

Both Republican and Democrat leaders were quick to blame each other for the impasse. 

“On our last meeting the president said ‘I am going to shut the government down’. They are now feeling the heat,” Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said shortly after the meeting.

“It is not helping the president, it is not helping the Republicans, to be the owners of this shutdown. Today we gave them an opportunity to get out of that, and open up the government as we debate border security. And to say to them – because he says”.

In an earlier tweet, Trump again blamed his political rivals, writing: “We are in a shutdown because Democrats refuse to fund border security.”

When Congressional leaders return to the White House later this week Democrats will be in control of the US Congress, having triumphed over their rivals in the US midterm elections.

Democratic leadership has indicated that they plan on bringing forward bills to fund the government, including a separate short-term spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security so that it can be separated from broader funding issues in the US.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team