Currents News Staff
“The answer is no, I’m not. I’m not happy,” said President Trump.
He was not pleased with the current border security funding deal, but not entirely rejecting the idea of signing it.
“I don’t think you’re going to see a shutdown,” he said.
On Monday night, after a weekend impasse, top hill negotiators said they’d reached a compromise.
“We’ve reached an agreement in principle,” said Sen. Richard Shelby from Alabama.
But one that falls well short of President Trump’s five-point-seven billion dollar ask for a border wall, and also shy of funds proposed in a Senate package last year.
The bipartisan agreement includes, among other items, one-point-three seven-five billion dollars for barrier funding, prohibiting the use of concrete walls to cover roughly 55 miles of new barrier.
“This is a compromise. No one got everything they wanted,” said Rep. Nita Lowey from New York.
The goal now is to get legislation moving through Congress.
“I look forward to reviewing the full text as soon as possible and hope the Senate can act on this legislation in short order,” said Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Even if he does sign off on the bill to avoid another government shutdown, President Trump hinted he’s looking at other options for the border wall funds.
“We’re building the wall, and we’re using other methods other than his, and in addition to this,” he said.
That could include executive orders, or the declaration of a national emergency, actions that will likely prompt, legal challenges.