Currents News Staff
President Trump visited the U.S./Mexico border Thursday – ground zero in the border wall battle at the crux of the government shutdown.
“Border security, the wall, the steel barrier – they can have whatever name they want, but we have to have it and it’s going to happen,” said Trump.
On the agenda, an immigration round-table, a visit to the U.S. border patrol station, a border security briefing and a trip to the Rio Grande river.
“We have to give these incredible people the tools to work with we’re not doing that,” said Trump.
Back in Washington the government shutdown reaches day 20, nearing the longest in U.S. history, with some 800 thousand federal employees remain without a pay check.
Talks over possible compromise appear at a standstill.
“The president doesn’t believe in governance, so he doesn’t care if governance doesn’t take place,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The president threatened to use executive authority if negotiations continue to stall.
“I have the absolute right to declare. If this doesn’t work out, I would almost say definitely,” said Trump.
Declaring a national emergency would allow Trump to use federal funds to build a border wall without approval from congress.