President Donald Trump said he was prepared for a “long shutdown” on Friday, as Senate Democrats refused to support the House-passed bill to fund the government.
“I hope we don’t, but we’re totally prepared for a very long shutdown,” Trump said to reporters at the White House.
As Trump spoke, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a speech on the Senate floor refusing to sign the bill passed by the House, describing the president’s demand for border security as a “tantrum.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced the measure on the Senate floor on Friday afternoon.
“It’s really up to the Democrats, totally up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown,” Trump said.
The president commented on the shutdown threat at a White House event to sign the First Step criminal justice reform bill on Friday.
The short-term extension includes $5 billion in funding to help the president build a wall on the southern border and additional funds for disaster aid.
Trump said that he would use the funds to protect the border with a wall or “steel slats.”
“Whatever you want to call it, it’s all the same,” he said.
The president also boasted that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was wrong, pointing to the government funding bill including border security that passed the House.
“They did it, they were incredible,” Trump said, thanking House Republicans.
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