Trump Retreats From Shutdown Threats

Trump Retreats From Shutdown Threats

After months of threatening to shut the government if Congress fails to fund his border wall, President Donald Trump backed down over the weekend,  promising to sign yet another short-term spending bill to prevent a shutdown on December 7.

“If they (Congress) come, which they have, to talk about an extension because of President Bush’s passing, I would absolutely consider it and probably give it,” he told reporters on Air Force One, returning from Argentina.

The late former president’s state funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral. The upcoming Bush funeral and day of mourning proclaimed by Trump will occupy lawmakers in the capital for most of the coming week.

Trump’s insistence on spending at least five billion dollars on his wall with Mexico is opposed by Democrats. On many occasions he has threatened to close the government, chiefly because of the wall dispute — but so far he has never followed through on that threat, signing continuing resolutions that keep the government functioning.

On Tuesday, he is scheduled to meet with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for budget talks.

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

President Biden Signs Spending Bill To Avert Shutdown, Urges Ukraine Aid
President Joe Biden with First Lady Jill Biden as he signs gun and school safety legislation

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law a $1.2 trillion spending package, keeping the U.S. government funded through a fiscal year that began six months ago.Biden described the package, which Congress overwhelmingly passed in the early hours of Saturday, as investing in Americans as well as strengthening the economy and national security. The Democratic president urged Congress to pass other bills stuck in the legislative chambers.

Keep reading...Show less
January 6 riot

Police munitions explode as Trump supporters riot at US Capitol on January 6, 2021

Photo by Leah Millis/REUTERS

It may come as a surprise to hear that I actually agree with Donald Trump on something: America does have a two-tiered system of justice. In fact, you could say I beat him to it since I reached that conclusion long before the former president adopted it as his mantra.

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}