Attempts to re-open the US government appeared to fall through yesterday. President Trump met with congressional leaders, first making clear he would not budge on his demand for $5 billion in border wall funding. Democrats also held their ground.
"The President asked us to come back on Friday," said Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, meaning that the shutdown entered its 13th day on Thursday.
Democrat Chuck Schumer said a short while later that his party hoped "they (Trump's administration) would reconsider".
Trump later reiterated: "The $5.6 billion is a small number. It's one month in Afghanistan.” His comments came less than a month after he confirmed the US would withdraw of troops from Afghanistan. “We're talking about national security,” he added. “This isn't just the border. this is national security.”
Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi told NBC's "Today" show that the shutdown has "nothing to do with" Democrats, saying Trump is holding the federal government hostage so that he can fulfil his campaign promise to build a border wall — one she noted he pledged Mexico would fund.
"That is so ridiculous: A. Mexico's not paying for it...and B. We have better use of funds to protect our border," Pelosi said. "The president knows that."
So the standoff rumbles on and so will the partial shutdown. President Trump maintained he will hold out for "as long as it takes".
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers won't see a paycheck until the government reopens.
