Trump OK With Second Shutdown over Border Spat

Local Editor

US President Donald Trump is prepared to shut down the government again or declare a national emergency if Congress won’t give him the border wall money he wants, the White House said Sunday.

Trump’s standoff with Democrats on Capitol Hill is far from over and the clock is ticking - the spending bill Trump signed Friday funds the state agencies that had been shut down only until Feb. 15.

In further details, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Trump’s goal was to work with Congress.

“What he wants to do is fix this the way that things are supposed to get fixed with our government, which is through legislation,” Mulvaney said.

“The president didn’t want another shutdown, but he would do it if necessary,” he added.

“Keep in mind he’s willing to do whatever it takes to secure the border,” he said.

The record 35-day federal shutdown ended when Trump gave in to mounting pressure, retreating from his demand that Congress commit $5.7 billion for a US-Mexico border wall before federal agencies resume work.

The bill he signed did not provide the money Trump wanted for a barrier, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called “immoral” and has insisted Congress will not finance.

On Fox News Sunday, Mulvaney wouldn’t directly answer whether Trump would take less than $5.7 billion, but said he was willing to negotiate.

“The president has already gone to the Democrats and said, look, it’s not a 2,000-mile sea-to-shining-sea wall.”

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team