White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders accused Democratic lawmakers of walking away from a potential deal to end a partial government shutdown, in a Thursday afternoon statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2R) argues about border security with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (R) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as Vice President Mike Pence sits nearby in the Oval Office on December 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
“The Administration understands this crisis and made a reasonable, common-sense solution to Democrats five days ago – we’ve not received a single response,” Sanders declared. “The President and his team stayed in Washington over Christmas hoping to negotiate a deal that would stop the dangerous crisis on the border, protect American communities, and re-open the government.”
The press secretary continued to accuse Democratic lawmakers of not taking the situation seriously saying, “the Democrats decided to go home. The only rational conclusion is that the Democrat party is openly choosing to keep our government closed to protect illegal immigrants rather than the American people.”
The White House statement comes as Trump animatedly tweeted his frustration with Democratic lawmakers for refusing to give into his demand for 5 billion dollars in funding for his proposed wall along the U.S. southern border. (RELATED: Is Trump Blowing His Last Chance To Get The Wall?)
“Border Patrol Agents want the Wall.” Democrat’s say they don’t want the Wall (even though they know it is really needed), and they don’t want ICE. They don’t have much to campaign on, do they? An Open Southern Border and the large scale crime that comes with such stupidity!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2018
The Democrats OBSTRUCTION of the desperately needed Wall, where they almost all recently agreed it should be built, is exceeded only by their OBSTRUCTION of 350 great people wanting & expecting to come into Government after being delayed for more than two years, a U.S. record!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2018
The White House demands, however, are increasingly complicated by Democratic indications that they will not compromise on wall funding. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have vowed they will not appropriate a single dollar toward the border wall.
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer attend the congressional Gold Medal ceremony for former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole at the U.S. Capitol January 17, 2018 in Washington D.C. (Photo by Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)
Democrats are set to take over the House of Representatives on Jan. 3, making any potential deal to end the partial government shutdown much more difficult. House Speaker-designate Pelosi vowed shortly after the partial government shutdown that when she assumed her speakership of the House, Democrats would put forth legislation attempting to open the government without any of the president’s demands.
Complicating matters further is the lack of urgency brought upon by a partial government shutdown. Approximately 75 percent of the federal government remains open, minimizing the effect of the shutdown on the daily lives of Americans. The lack of political urgency generated by the partial shutdown could prolong it past the day of the Democratic House takeover.