0
Wednesday 13 February 2019 - 05:42

‘I'm not happy about it,’ Trump backtracks on shutdown pride

Story Code : 777686
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on February 12, 2019. (AFP photo)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on February 12, 2019. (AFP photo)

The president said Tuesday that he does not “love” the deal reached between Democrats and Republicans at US Congress.

“I'm not happy about it. It's not doing the trick,” Trump said of the Monday agreement between congressional negotiators. "I don't think you are going to see a shutdown. I wouldn't want to go to it. If you did have it, it's the Democrats' fault.”

The White House was kept "aware and involved" during the negotiations, according to Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby, who struck the deal.

"I'm not worried about anything, you know. I'm too old to worry. We'll see what happens," Shelby said. Asked if he's received an assurance from Trump that the president will sign the bill, he replied: "No. I don't have any assurance he's going to veto it either."

Shelby and Texas Republican Representative Kay Granger took part in closed-door negotiations with New York Democratic Representative Nita Lowey and Vermont Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy.

 “It’s a compromise, which means everybody is unhappy,” said Texas GOP Senator John Cornyn.
 
Funding for the wall has led to a budget impasse and an ongoing dispute over border security.

Trump finally agreed on January 25 to end the shutdown without getting the $5.7 billion he had demanded for the wall, and instead, a three-week spending deal was reached to temporarily end the impasse.
 
Comment