President Trump
Donald John TrumpMichelle Wolf in July Fourth salute: 'God bless abortions and God bless America' Graham: Trump's Supreme Court picks 'all winners' Man arrested after allegedly threatening to kill Trump supporters, GOP lawmaker MORE said Tuesday he would "love" to see a government shutdown if Democrats do not agree to his demands on immigration.
"We’ll do a shutdown and it’s worth it for our country. I’d love to see a shutdown if we don’t get this stuff taken care of," Trump told law enforcement officials and members of Congress at the White House.
During impromptu remarks at an event on immigration, Trump said Democrats must accept new border-security measures to keep out people trying to enter the country illegally.
Trump's saber rattling came as lawmakers are rushing to meet a Thursday deadline to fund the government.
His tough talk stands in stark contrast to optimism on Capitol Hill about the chances of averting a shutdown.
Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate announced earlier Tuesday they were close to a two-year budget deal, which does not include immigration language.
"Speaks for itself," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Charles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerAn end game on Supreme Court nominations Liberals forget Constitution as Supreme Court battle fires up Anti-Trump protesters sing national anthem outside rally MORE (D-N.Y.) said when asked to respond to Trump's comments.
"We had one Trump shutdown. Nobody wants another, maybe except him."
Rep. Barbara Comstock
Barbara Jean ComstockDemocrats can kiss swing voters goodbye with progressive ballot The Hill's Morning Report — Sponsored by Better Medicare Alliance — Dramatic battle looms after Kennedy’s retirement Election Countdown: Kennedy retirement shakes up midterms | Big primary night for progressives | Fallout from Crowley's defeat | Trump flexes his muscles in GOP primaries | The Hill's Latina Leaders spotlights 2018 candidates MORE (Va.), a vulnerable Republican who represents a district outside of Washington, D.C., with many federal workers, rebuked Trump after he welcomed a shutdown.
“We don't need a government shutdown on this,” she told Trump during the meeting. “I think both sides have learned that a government shutdown is bad.”
Comstock said there is bipartisan support for cracking down on violent gangs such as MS-13, which was the focus of Tuesday’s meeting.
Trump cut off the Virginia lawmaker and doubled down on his willingness to stage a shutdown.
“We have to get that, they are not supporting us,” the president said. “You can say what you want. We are not getting support of the Democrats.”
Trump has vented his frustration that Democrats have refused to accept his sweeping immigration plan. The proposal would offer a path to citizenship for as many as 1.8 million immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children in exchange for billions of dollars for a wall along the southern border and steep cuts to legal immigration.
Democrats and some Republicans have objected to making significant to changes to the U.S. visa system, while conservative GOP lawmakers have balked at a citizenship path.
Trump has framed the offer as Congress's best chance to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which he scrapped last year.
While the president in the past has floated the possibility of extending the March 5 deadline to end the program for young immigrants, White House chief of staff John Kelly
John Francis KellyMORE on Tuesday poured cold water on that idea.
If lawmakers do not agree to an immigration deal before Thursday's government funding deadline, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: Trump's Supreme Court picks 'all winners' Trump says he's close to making final Supreme Court decision An end game on Supreme Court nominations MORE (R-Ky.) has said he would hold an open debate on the issue.
— This report was updated at 3:45 p.m.
