The White House traded salvos with Senate Democrats Saturday as each side dug into opposing positions as the first day of the federal government shutdown dragged on.
“[Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer is going to have to up his game and become more honest with the president of the United States,” Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney mentioned in an afternoon press conference.
Mulvaney and White House legislative director Marc Short emphasised that negotiations over immigration policy – together with the fate of individuals within the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program who had been brought to the U.S. illegally as kids – will stay stalled till Democrats comply with a continuing resolution that will reopen the federal government.
Short mentioned that Trump is prepared to sign a compromise resolution that will restore federal funds for a three-week window, rather than the four-week funding bill that the Senate rejected late Friday.
Mulvaney swiped at Schumer after the New York senator slammed Trump for shifting positions throughout a meeting Friday that was a last-ditch effort to set a deal.
Short laid the deadlock on the feet of Democrats’.
“They are held captive by a small base in their party … who look at all this administration has accomplished and say, ‘Because we can’t beat ‘em we’re gonna shut down the government,’” he mentioned.
A political system that requires 60% to pass funding is doomed.