WaPo: Trump Told Friends A Government Shutdown Could Benefit Him

United States President Donald Trump speaks with President of Russia, Vladimir Putin on the telephone in the Oval Office on January 28, 2017 in Washington, DC, The call was one of five calls with foreign leaders sche... United States President Donald Trump speaks with President of Russia, Vladimir Putin on the telephone in the Oval Office on January 28, 2017 in Washington, DC, The call was one of five calls with foreign leaders scheduled for Saturday. Credit: Pete Marovich / Pool via CNP - NO WIRE SERVICE - Photo by: Pete Marovich/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images MORE LESS
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As the deadline to fund the government fast approaches, President Donald Trump has been telling acquaintances that a government shutdown could be good for him, the Washington Post reported Thursday night, citing unnamed people who spoke to the President recently.

Trump has told several people that if the government were to shut down, he would simply blame it on Democrats, according to the Washington Post.

After cutting a deal with Democrats to fund the government and raise the debt limit in September and then suggesting he may work with Democrats to restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protections, Trump has said recently that he wants to cater to his base this time around, according to the Washington Post.

He has told advisers over the past 10 days that he wants to show that he is taking a hard line on immigration by pushing for funding for the border wall, per the Post. He has become concerned that the September deal made him look like a “chump,” an unnamed adviser told the Washington Post.

White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short denied Thursday that Trump wants to shut down the government.

“He’s not advocating for a shutdown in any way. We want to make sure our military is funded. We want to make sure our priorities are funded. That’s why we invited [Democrats] over to have a conversation about a deal,” Short told reporters, per the Washington Post.

Trump and congressional leaders face a Dec. 8 deadline to fund the government. Since GOP lawmakers are deep into their effort to cut taxes, House Republican leaders will reportedly introduce legislation to fund the government through Dec. 22 to give them more time to work out a larger deal.

Read the Washington Post’s full report here.

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Notable Replies

  1. Ya think so Donnie?
    Please proceed

  2. The gulf between der Furor and reality widens with each passing minute.

  3. Avatar for milt69 milt69 says:

    ‘Trump has said recently that he wants to cater to his base this time around, according to the Washington Post.’

    This time?!?! Over turning every Obama initiative, pulling out the climate accord, provoking nuclear war. That base is dictating your every move while simultaneously steering the Country into irreparable harm.

    Resist, remove!

  4. Avatar for aiddon aiddon says:

    He just thinks it’ll give him an early vacation

  5. Avatar for sanni sanni says:

    “He’s not advocating for a shutdown in any way. We want to make sure our military is funded. We want to make sure our priorities are funded. That’s why we invited [Democrats] over to have a conversation about a deal,” Short told reporters, per the Washington Post.

    aka “Don’t pay attention to the man behind the twitter feed.”

    Sorry, Dude, you work for an impulsive troll - who has no sense but thinks he is a brilliant strategist. We’ve already seen the game. The instability/volatility comes 100% from the WH and the GOP in congress.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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