Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Just hours before a midnight deadline that could bring a partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump called Republican senators to the White House Friday morning to rally them in a renewed fight for his proposed border wall.
Earlier Friday, the president threatened a government shutdown in morning tweets, pushing hard for the Senate to pass $5 billion for his border wall as the House did Thursday.
“Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!” Trump tweeted days before the Christmas holiday.
Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
The House bill includes $5.7 billion to construct a border wall, $7.8 billion for disaster relief and would fund the government until Feb. 8.
But the prospects of the same bill passing the Senate are far less likely because Democrats have pledged to defeat the divisive measure.
Trump called for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to wage a “hard” fight, saying if Democrats don’t vote for funding the wall, they would be to blame for a shutdown, despite his having said last week that he would be “proud” to take the blame for a shutdown over border security.
Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything. He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen. If enough Dems don’t vote, it will be a Democrat Shutdown! House Republicans were great yesterday!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
The president called for McConnell to use the “nuclear option,” which would override a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance legislation and instead would allow a vote to proceed and a measure to pass with 51 votes, or a simple majority.
“Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done!” Trump tweeted around 8 a.m.
Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done! Our Country is counting on you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
McConnell has repeatedly refused to use the “nuclear option.”
Trump said Democrats have called his wall proposal “old fashioned” but tweeted he knows technology “better than anyone.”
“The fact is there is nothing else’s that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years,” Trump said in a series of at least eight tweets.
The Democrats are trying to belittle the concept of a Wall, calling it old fashioned. The fact is there is nothing else’s that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years. It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better. I know tech better than anyone, & technology…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
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