President Trump on Friday called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fight for a stopgap spending measure to fund federal agencies — including $5 billion for a border wall — or risk a “very long” government shutdown beginning at the midnight deadline.
“Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!” the president said in a morning tweetstorm, hours after the House approved a temporary spending bill that includes the border funds.
The GOP-controlled House approved the bill by a vote of 217-185 along party lines.
“Senator Mitch McConnell should fight for the Wall and Border Security as hard as he fought for anything. He will need Democrat votes, but as shown in the House, good things happen,” Trump continued.
“If enough Dems don’t vote, it will be a Democrat Shutdown! House Republicans were great yesterday!” he said.
Trump said the Democrats were “trying to belittle the concept of a Wall, calling it old fashioned,” adding that “there is nothing else’s that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years.”
He added: “It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better. I know tech better than anyone, & technology on a Border is only effective in conjunction with a Wall.”
The president accused the Democrats of lying when they say that “properly designed and built” walls don’t work.
“In Israel the Wall is 99.9% successful. Will not be any different on our Southern Border! Hundreds of $Billions saved!” he said.
“The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED,” Trump added.
“If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!”
After the president threatened Thursday to veto a Senate measure that did not include funding for his long-promised wall, the House scraped together a bill that would keep the government funded until Feb. 8. The measure included $5.7 billion for the wall.
But Senate Democrats have enough votes to keep that bill from advancing, making a partial government shutdown likely.
“No matter what happens today in the Senate, Republican House Members should be very proud of themselves,” Trump wrote.
“They flew back to Washington from all parts of the World in order to vote for Border Security and the Wall. Not one Democrat voted yes, and we won big. I am very proud of you!”
He added: “Even President Ronald Reagan tried for 8 years to build a Border Wall, or Fence, and was unable to do so. Others also have tried. We will get it done, one way or the other! “