On Sunday, President Donald Trump said he would be willing to contemplate a government shutdown if the Democrats refuse to give their vote to his proposals for immigration, including the much-discussed wall on the border between the US and Mexico.
Republicans have been playing down the possibility of a government shutdown, wanting to ensure they protect their current majority in Congress as the midterm elections loom. But, the President has refused to shut down the idea, posting on social media site Twitter that he would consider the possibility if the Democratic Party fail to vote for border security, including the wall, the end of the catch and release policy, and the US visa lottery, and the establishment of a new US visa system based more on merit.
Trump raised the government shutdown again after last week’s meeting with Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell and House Speaker, Paul Ryan in the White House. McConnell told a Kentucky radio station during an interview that a shutdown was not on the cards while admitting that the issue of border funding was unlikely to reach a resolution before the midterm elections in November.
After the meeting, Ryan said that Trump would be patient to ensure the party gets what they need, which he claims is only a matter of time. Trump’s Presidential election campaign in 2016 focused on his promise to build a wall on the US border to reduce illegal immigration.