As shutdown enters 16th day, Trump offers $5 billion ‘steel barrier’, democrats unmoved
United States President Donald Trump is no where near to bend in his demand for a wall along the southern border with Mexico, but said the barrier could be made of steel instead of concrete as a potential compromise with Democrats who are refusing to fund the project.
He said he could relate to the workers who would have trouble paying bills because of the shutdown but threatened, again, to declare a national emergency as an alternative way to build the wall.
“I informed my folks to say that we’ll build a steel barrier,” Mr. Trump told reporters after returning to the White House from a senior staff meeting at Camp David. He added of the Democrats, “They don’t like concrete, so we’ll give them steel.”
Vice-President Mike Pence was leading a second round of talks with congressional aides about the issue on Sunday (local time).
“V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.,” read a tweet by Trump.
V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019
Mr Trump’s comments came at the start of the third week of a partial government shutdown that has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers idled or without paychecks.
The shutdown, which is threatening to become the longest in U.S. history, is affecting about 800,000 federal workers, many of whom will soon miss their first paycheck, and has curtailed the functions of numerous government agencies. The impasse has also added another crisis to Trump’s turbulent presidency.
