WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – President Trump is raising the stakes Friday on the border wall fight, now threatening to close the southern border entirely if Democrats in Congress don’t give him funding for his wall.
This as the secretary of homeland security goes to Texas and Arizona to review health care for migrant children after the death of a second child this week.
The president again blasted Democrats in a Twitter storm over his promised border wall.
With the government shutdown now in day seven, President Trump raised the stakes on the border wall fight in a series of tweets promising to “close the southern border entirely if the obstructionist Democrats do not give us money to finish the wall.”
Democrats shot back: “Good luck getting Congress to agree to that.”
“That’s going to cost a lot of money and I don’t think the taxpayers have anticipated that or deserve that,” Rep. Anthony Brown, (D-MD) said, “we’ll take a look but doesn’t sound feasible to me.”
The White House says the budget fight and the government shutdown has less to do with giving the president $5 billion for the wall and more about ensuring Nancy Pelosi becomes the next House speaker
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said, “If she cuts a deal with the president of any sort before her election on January 3rd she’s at risk of losing her speakership. So we’re in this for the long haul.”
No full session for the House or Senate until early January as 800,000 federal workers go without paychecks.
In a new Reuters-IPSOS poll, 47% of Americans blame President Trump for the government shutdown. 33% blame Democrats. Even GOP leaders are pointing the finger at the president.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) said, “The Senate passed a bill that funded the government, because the White House told us to, and then changed their mind the next day.”
The border wall fight at an impasse as Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen travels to two border states to check on health care for migrant children after the deaths of two youngsters this month.
Homeland Security is also asking for additional medical help from the Coast Guard and other agencies to try and keep these children healthy while in U.S. custody.
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