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Version 2 Version 3
Trump Says U.S. Needs Government ‘Shutdown’ Trump, in Wake of Deal to Avoid a Shutdown Now, Calls for One Later
(about 5 hours later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump said on Tuesday that the United States needed “a good ‘shutdown’” this fall to force a partisan confrontation over federal spending, and suggested that he might move to reverse longstanding Senate rules that effectively require a supermajority to approve most major pieces of legislation. WASHINGTON — President Trump said Tuesday that the United States needed “a good ‘shutdown’” this fall to force a partisan confrontation over federal spending, and suggested that he might move to reverse longstanding Senate rules that effectively require a supermajority to approve most major pieces of legislation.
The declarations, in a pair of posts on Twitter, appeared aimed at defending a spending package that Congress is likely to clear this week, but that fails to accomplish many of Mr. Trump’s stated goals, including allocating any money to build a wall on the southern border — a project that was his most talked-about campaign promise. Conservative activists have decried the agreement as one that does not address their priorities, but the White House has signaled that the president would accept it rather than set off a government shutdown. The declarations, in two posts on Twitter, appeared aimed at defending a compromise spending package that Congress is likely to clear this week, but that fails to accomplish many of Mr. Trump’s stated goals — including allocating any money to build a wall on the southern border, a project that was his most talked-about campaign promise. Conservative activists have criticized the agreement as one that does not address their priorities and swells the deficit, but the White House has signaled that the president would accept it rather than set off a government shutdown.
Senate Republicans promptly and uniformly rejected Mr. Trump’s threats of a more partisan approach in the future, saying neither would come to pass.
The Twitter messages were also an indication of the degree to which bipartisan negotiations in Congress on the spending bill and others, including a health care overhaul that appeared on Tuesday to be stalled again, have bedeviled Mr. Trump at this early stage of his presidency, forcing him to bow to political realities to which he had insisted he was immune.The Twitter messages were also an indication of the degree to which bipartisan negotiations in Congress on the spending bill and others, including a health care overhaul that appeared on Tuesday to be stalled again, have bedeviled Mr. Trump at this early stage of his presidency, forcing him to bow to political realities to which he had insisted he was immune.
“The reason for the plan negotiated between the Republicans and Democrats is that we need 60 votes in the Senate which are not there!” Mr. Trump said in one post, an apparent reference to the spending package. Mick Mulvaney, his budget director, conceded as much in a briefing with reporters later in the day, saying that Mr. Trump had made the comments because he had become “frustrated” that congressional Democrats had decided to “spike the football” and claim victory on the spending package.
The solution, he said, was either to elect more Republican senators in 2018, the next midterm elections, “or change the rules now to 51%.” That appeared to refer to scrapping the so-called filibuster that allows any senator to insist on a three-fifths vote, rather than a simple majority, to act on legislative matters. “The reason for the plan negotiated between the Republicans and Democrats is that we need 60 votes in the Senate which are not there!” Mr. Trump said in one post, an apparent reference to the measure, which would fund the government through September.
The solution, he said, was either to elect more Republican senators in 2018, the next midterm elections, “or change the rules now to 51%.” That appeared to refer to scrapping the filibuster, which allows any senator to insist on a three-fifths vote, rather than a simple majority, to act on legislative matters.
Republicans already moved last month to eliminate the use of the tactic for Supreme Court confirmations, allowing them to move forward with the approval of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch over near-unanimous Democratic opposition.Republicans already moved last month to eliminate the use of the tactic for Supreme Court confirmations, allowing them to move forward with the approval of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch over near-unanimous Democratic opposition.
“Our country needs a good ‘shutdown' in September to fix mess!” Mr. Trump said. “Our country needs a good ‘shutdown’ in September to fix mess!” Mr. Trump said.
The Twitter posts ran counter to a frenetic effort by the White House to portray the spending agreement as a major victory for the president, an argument Mr. Trump himself made just hours later in the Rose Garden when he declared, “This is what winning looks like.” He cited large spending increases for the military and border security contained in the measure, claiming that those resources were “enough money to make a down payment on the border wall,” despite the fact that the bill provides no funding for the structure. The Twitter posts set off a scramble at the White House, upending a frenetic effort by Mr. Trump’s advisers to portray the spending agreement as a major victory for the president. By early afternoon, Mr. Trump had turned an appearance with Air Force Academy cadets in the Rose Garden into a pep rally for the spending bill, which he declared “a clear win for the American people.” And he dispatched Mr. Mulvaney to brief reporters twice — once by telephone in a conference call that devolved into a comedy of errors, and once in person — to defend it.
It was a continuation of a public push by his advisers to counteract the notion that Mr. Trump had been forced into an agreement he dislikes. Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, hastily arranged a conference call after Mr. Trump’s morning Twitter posts to claim victory on the spending package and argue that the president had actually outfoxed Democrats who were eager for a shutdown. The president cited large spending increases for the military and border security contained in the measure, saying that those resources were “enough money to make a down payment on the border wall,” despite the fact that the bill provides no funding for the structure.
“They wanted to try and make this president look like he could not govern,” Mr. Mulvaney told reporters in a chaotic call that featured a shouting budget director, dueling hold music and reporters frantically trying to figure out how to ask questions (mostly without success). “They wanted to make this president look like he did not know what he was doing, and he beat them on that at the very, very highest level.” Later, at a news conference in the briefing room where he showed photographs of border barriers, Mr. Mulvaney told reporters that money included in the measure to repair or replace up to 40 miles of fencing that already exists would yield a solution that “works better” than the 1,900-mile, 30-foot concrete structure the president has requested. This, he said amounted to “a huge win for border security.”
Democrats, Mr. Mulvaney added, “were desperate to show that we were not reasonable, and we completely destroyed that narrative by negotiating this deal. This is a huge victory for the president.” Mr. Mulvaney argued that the president had actually outfoxed Democrats who were eager for a shutdown.
“They wanted to try and make this president look like he could not govern,” Mr. Mulvaney told reporters in a chaotic call that featured a shouting budget director, dueling on-hold music and reporters frantically trying to figure out how to ask questions (mostly without success). “They wanted to make this president look like he did not know what he was doing, and he beat them on that at the very, very highest level.”
Democrats, Mr. Mulvaney added, “were desperate to show that we were not reasonable, and we completely destroyed that narrative by negotiating this deal.”
“This is a huge victory for the president,” he said.
But by publicly courting a government shutdown, an extraordinary move for a sitting president, Mr. Trump instead seemed to be confirming his reputation for rash statements that may yield little in the way of follow-through.But by publicly courting a government shutdown, an extraordinary move for a sitting president, Mr. Trump instead seemed to be confirming his reputation for rash statements that may yield little in the way of follow-through.
“President Trump may not like what he sees in this budget deal, but it’s dangerous and irresponsible to respond by calling for a shutdown,” said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington State and the ranking member of the appropriations committee. “Hopefully, Republicans in Congress will do for the next budget what they did for this one: ignore President Trump’s demands, work with Democrats, and get it done.” “President Trump may not like what he sees in this budget deal, but it’s dangerous and irresponsible to respond by calling for a shutdown,” said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington and the ranking member of the appropriations committee. “Hopefully, Republicans in Congress will do for the next budget what they did for this one: Ignore President Trump’s demands, work with Democrats and get it done.”
Indeed, Republicans appeared eager to ignore Mr. Trump’s latest outburst and focus on an agreement they said was worth supporting.Indeed, Republicans appeared eager to ignore Mr. Trump’s latest outburst and focus on an agreement they said was worth supporting.
“How many times have I had this: ‘Do you agree with a tweet this morning?’” House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, joked after being asked about the president’s Twitter statements.“How many times have I had this: ‘Do you agree with a tweet this morning?’” House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, joked after being asked about the president’s Twitter statements.
Mr. Ryan said he did “share the president’s frustration” but noted that bipartisan support was required for spending measures.Mr. Ryan said he did “share the president’s frustration” but noted that bipartisan support was required for spending measures.
“Having said all that, I feel very good about the wins we got with the administration in this bill,” Mr. Ryan said.“Having said all that, I feel very good about the wins we got with the administration in this bill,” Mr. Ryan said.
Many conservative activists were not so enthused. Heritage Action, a conservative group, urged lawmakers to vote “no” on the measure, saying it “woefully fails the test of fiscal responsibility and does not advance important conservative policies.” Many conservative activists were not so enthused. Heritage Action, a conservative group, urged lawmakers to vote “no,” saying the measure “woefully fails the test of fiscal responsibility and does not advance important conservative policies.”
Charles Krauthammer, the conservative commentator, said Monday on Fox News: “Trump got rolled. The Republicans got rolled.” Charles Krauthammer, a conservative commentator, said Monday on Fox News: “Trump got rolled. The Republicans got rolled.”
Anti-abortion rights groups also objected because the measure fails to defund Planned Parenthood, a goal that Mr. Trump has said he shared. Anti-abortion rights groups also objected because the measure does not defund Planned Parenthood, a goal that Mr. Trump has said he shares.
“One has to wonder if the Democrats are the majority party in Congress,” said Mathew D. Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, a group that promotes socially conservative policies. “We urge President Trump to keep his promise and we call on the Republican Congress to start leading and stop supporting failed policies.” “One has to wonder if the Democrats are the majority party in Congress,” said Mathew D. Staver, the chairman of Liberty Counsel, a group that promotes socially conservative policies. “We urge President Trump to keep his promise and we call on the Republican Congress to start leading and stop supporting failed policies.”
Mr. Mulvaney said the move to defund Planned Parenthood would wait for enactment of the health care overhaul, a prospect that seemed to be growing more remote, not less, on Tuesday as influential Republicans said they could not support it.Mr. Mulvaney said the move to defund Planned Parenthood would wait for enactment of the health care overhaul, a prospect that seemed to be growing more remote, not less, on Tuesday as influential Republicans said they could not support it.
“Let there be no mistake about this administration’s commitment to the pro-life movement,” he told reporters during the conference call. And he said the president’s shutdown threat stemmed from anger at Democrats. “The president is frustrated with the fact that he negotiated in good faith with the Democrats and they went out to try and spike the football and make him look bad,” he said.
On Tuesday, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, praised the spending bill, which he said the Senate would vote on later this week. He did his best to portray it as a win for his party.
“This legislation will promote a number of American and conservative priorities,” he said, noting its attendant funding increases for border security and the military, and cuts to climate control programs championed by the Obama administration.
Democrats said Mr. Trump’s actions assured that partisan rancor would continue to hang over Capitol Hill in the coming months.Democrats said Mr. Trump’s actions assured that partisan rancor would continue to hang over Capitol Hill in the coming months.
“Threatening to shut down the government, on the heels of a successful, bipartisan agreement, is a sour and shameful note to kick off negotiations” for the coming year, said Senator Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont. “I hope the president does not seriously wish to have the consequences of a government shutdown resting squarely on his shoulders.” “Threatening to shut down the government, on the heels of a successful, bipartisan agreement, is a sour and shameful note to kick off negotiations” for the coming year, said Senator Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont.
Beyond the current budget debate, Mr. Trump’s comments seemed to augur more difficulties in the months to come, including internal rifts between the president and his own party over how to enact a policy agenda. Mr. Trump’s comments also seemed to augur more difficulties in the months to come with his own party.
“I just don’t agree” with Mr. Trump’s suggestion of a shutdown, said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Republican, who also defended the filibuster and said he would try to stop any effort to eliminate it. “That will not happen,” Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said of Mr. Trump’s threat to eliminate the filibuster, citing an “overwhelming majority” of support for the rules in the Senate, where more than 60 have signed a letter urging their preservation.
“I just don’t agree” with Mr. Trump’s suggestion of a shutdown, said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, who said he would try to stop any effort to obliterate the filibuster.
“The rules have saved us from a lot of really bad policy,” he added. “We all are into short-term gratification, but it would be a mistake in the long term.”“The rules have saved us from a lot of really bad policy,” he added. “We all are into short-term gratification, but it would be a mistake in the long term.”
Mr. Cornyn noted the popular support in the chamber for a letter circulated by Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, urging members to preserve the legislative filibuster. More than 60 senators have signed it. Some House Republicans who have long chafed at the strictures of Senate procedure cheered the efforts to change the rules.
Some House Republicans who have long chafed at the strictures of Senate procedure cheered the president’s efforts to change the rules. “He understands what is at stake,” Representative Trent Franks, Republican of Arizona, said of the president. “The more he brings it to the American people, the more the American people will reject this idiocy of no debate.”
“The filibuster is going the way of the dinosaur — we proved that with the Gorsuch nomination,” said Representative Trent Franks, Republican of Arizona and an outspoken critic of the Senate filibuster. “I’m excited, man.” Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, who said he planned to vote against the spending bill, made it clear that he wished that Mr. Trump would keep his musings on the subject to himself.
“He understands what is at stake,” Mr. Franks said of the president. “And the more he sees it and the more he brings it to the American people, the more the American people will reject this idiocy of no debate.”
Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, who said he opposed the spending bill, made it clear that he wished that Mr. Trump would keep his musings on the subject to himself.
“I do wish somebody would take his iPhone away from him,” Mr. Corker said.“I do wish somebody would take his iPhone away from him,” Mr. Corker said.