Trump trumpets win on short-term spending deal, but shutdown politics remain
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White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says most government offices closed in the shutdown could be operating “in full capacity” Tuesday morning. (Jan. 22)
AP
WASHINGTON – President Trump continued to taunt Democrats for striking a deal with Republicans that allowed the government to re-open on Tuesday – but there are less than three weeks before the prospect of another government shutdown amid an ongoing dispute over immigration.
In an early morning tweet, the president said. “‘Even Crazy Jim Acosta of Fake News CNN agrees: “Trump World and WH sources dancing in end zone: Trump wins again…Schumer and Dems caved…gambled and lost.’ Thank you for your honesty Jim!”Â
Even Crazy Jim Acosta of Fake News CNN agrees: “Trump World and WH sources dancing in end zone: Trump wins again…Schumer and Dems caved…gambled and lost.†Thank you for your honesty Jim!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2018
It was unclear if Trump was quoting the CNN reporter accurately. Acosta, the network’s chief White House correspondent, has aggressively reported on the Trump White House, and confronted the president on his constant criticism of his CNN and the news media in general.
More: Trump declares victory after senators strike deal to lift government shutdown
More: Congress solved the shutdown but deep spending and immigration disputes remain. What now?
More: Trump’s had some very different views on government shutdowns over the years
On Monday, Congress passed a spending measure that funds the government – but only up to Feb. 8. The temporary measure that could lead to to another shutdown dispute in less than two-and-a-half weeks.
In the wake of the partial shutdown, Democrats and some Republicans say they will continue to push for a program to prevent deportation of “DREAMers,” young people who were brought into the country illegally by their parents.Â
“The Republican majority now has seventeen days to prevent the Dreamers from being deported,” said Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
Trump gave Congress six months to find a replacement to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Democrats objected to the spending measure partly because it did not address the issue.Â
Under political pressure, Democrats gave up their demands Monday to support the temporary spending bill, giving Trump and the GOP the chance to declare victory. Late Monday, Trump tweeted: “Big win for Republicans as Democrats cave on Shutdown. Now I want a big win for everyone, including Republicans, Democrats and DACA, but especially for our Great Military and Border Security. Should be able to get there. See you at the negotiating table!”
As Congress barrels toward the next deadline, Trump and other Republicans said any agreement must be accompanied by new restrictions on illegal immigration, including money for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.Â
More: Congress passes funding bill, ends three-day government shutdown
Even if the Senate strikes an immigration deal, it would still have to pass the Republican-run House, where immigration politics are even more difficult.
Trump largely stayed out of the public eye over the weekend, and has not appeared publicly since the government shut down or the deal to restore funds.Â
By Tuesday, Trump returned to his favorite social media platform to go after another frequent target: The FBI.
Citing reports that the FBI has been unable to recover text messages from FBI officials who have been critical of him,” Trump tweeted:Â “In one of the biggest stories in a long time, the FBI now says it is missing five months worth of lovers Strzok-Page texts, perhaps 50,000, and all in prime time. Wow!”
In one of the biggest stories in a long time, the FBI now says it is missing five months worth of lovers Strzok-Page texts, perhaps 50,000, and all in prime time. Wow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2018
Attorney General Jeff Sessions acknowledged Monday that the FBI’s information system failed to preserve five months of text messages between two bureau officials who had disparaged then-candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 election. The discovery of the communications earlier this year prompted the removal of Peter Strzok, a senior counter-intelligence agent, from the staff of Russia special counsel Robert Mueller.Â
Trump and aides are under investigation over any links to Russians who sought to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denounced the probes as a “witch hunt” and criticized the intelligence community and FBI in particular.
More: Sessions acknowledges missing FBI texts