President Trump sought to pin blame on Democrats on Saturday as the partial government shutdown became the longest in U.S. history, saying Americans should call Democrats in Congress and tell them to reach an agreement with the White House on border security.

Trump continued to cast the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border as a “humanitarian crisis,” asserting on Twitter that Democrats could help solve the funding impasse in “15 minutes” by agreeing to his demand for more than $5 billion in funding to build a border wall. 

“Democrats could solve the Shutdown in 15 minutes! Call your Dem Senator or Congresswoman/man. Tell them to get it done! Humanitarian Crisis,” Trump tweeted.

Democrats could solve the Shutdown in 15 minutes! Call your Dem Senator or Congresswoman/man. Tell them to get it done! Humanitarian Crisis.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2019

The shutdown, which is affecting about 25 percent of the federal government, entered its 22nd day on Saturday, making it the longest shutdown in the nation’s history. The previous record was 21 days, which happened during the Clinton administration.{mosads}

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been affected by the latest funding lapse, with workers on Friday missing their first paychecks due to the shutdown.

Trump has vowed to keep the government closed until Democrats agree to his demands on border security funding, which Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said will not happen.

Democrats this week passed a series of funding bills to reopen parts of the government, while not providing money for Trump’s proposed border wall.

The president visited the border this week and delivered a prime-time address to Americans to make his case for building a wall, a signature campaign promise that Trump has so far struggled to deliver on since taking office.

Pointing to increasing apprehension numbers of families with children along the border as well as the ongoing opioid crisis, Trump has also threatened to circumvent Congress and declare a national emergency over the issue, allowing him to allocate funding to the project at will.

Trump stressed Friday that his preference was for Democrats in Congress to simply fund the wall.

“It’s the easy way out, but Congress should do this,” he said, adding he would “rather not” declare an emergency as it could face court challenges delaying wall construction for months.

In a meeting last week, the president told Democrats that he was willing to keep the government closed for months or even “years” until Democrats relented on his demands.