The federal government will partially shut down Friday at midnight if the House and Senate don’t pass a spending bill that President Trump will sign.
Mr. Trump signaled Friday morning he’s ready for a fight, after House Republicans voted for a spending bill with border wall funding. But Democrats are sure to shut the move down. It’s unclear what Republicans’ next move is if and when the Senate votes down the short-term spending bill.
Trump says shutdown will last a “very long time”
Mr. Trump tweeted a shutdown could last a “long time” if it happens.
But White House press secretary Sarah Sanders offered no details Friday morning as to how long a “very long time” could be.”
Unclear if the president has an alternative plan
If and when the Senate does vote down the short-term spending bill, it’s unclear what will come next.
Mr. Trump tweeted that if the Senate doesn’t vote for the bill, there will be a shutdown. But White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was unable to answer when asked repeatedly by CBS News whether the president has an alternative plan.
Senate expected to vote around noon
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill the House passed the night before around noon. The House passed the bill 217-185.
The bill the Senate will be voting on is a short-term spending bill that would fund the government into early February, with $5 billion to fund the president’s border wall and $8 billion for disaster relief.
Trump wants McConnell to go for the “nuclear option”
Mr. Trump tweeted he wants Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to go for the “nuclear option” in the Senate, meaning he wants the majority leader to lower the threshold needed to pass a spending bill from 60 votes to a simple majority.
But McConnell has refused to do so multiple times in the past, because he knows Democrats could and likely will control the Senate again one day in the future — and that would be a disaster for Republicans.
Plus, McConnell would need at least 50 Republican senators to make the so-called nuclear option possible. He can’t do it alone.
GOP senators to meet with Trump at White House
Republican senators are heading to the White House to meet with President Trump at 10:30 a.m. Friday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed in a tweet.
President Trump will meet with Senate Republicans this morning at 10:30am to discuss the Funding Bill and the importance of Border Security,” she wrote.
It’s unclear yet which senators will be in attendance.
Trump claims Democrats “now own” shutdown, despite previously taking credit for it
Mr. Trump tweeted Friday morning that Democrats “now own” the shutdown.
That’s despite repeatedly saying last week, in and following a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and presumptive House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that he would not blame them in the event of a shutdown.
The Democrats now own the shutdown!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
Last week, Mr. Trump had a very different tone with the Democrats.
“You want to know something? I’ll tell you what: I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck,” the president said at the time.
“I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down — I’m not going to blame you for it.”
National Parks situation unclear, but Grand Canyon will stay open
The National Parks has yet to release its plan for what it will do in a shutdown. It’s unclear if the parks will remain open, or close.
But Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced that the Grand Canyon will remain open to the public. That includes trails, shuttles, and restrooms, according to a plan Ducey’s office says he put in place.
“Regardless of what happens in Washington, the Grand Canyon will not close on our watch,” Ducey said. “Arizona knows how to work together. We have a plan in place and we’re ready to go. If you have plans to visit the Grand Canyon over the weekend, keep ’em. The Grand Canyon will remain open.”
