US President Donald Trump will not sign a stopgap spending bill because it does not contain border wall funding, Republican lawmakers said Thursday, dramatically escalating chances of a government shutdown before Christmas.
Trump’s move appears to be a hardening of his demand for $5 billion in funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border, something he has fought for since he began campaigning for president in 2015.
“The president informed us that he will not sign the bill that came over from the Senate last evening because of his legitimate concerns for border security,” outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan said after he and other Republicans met with Trump to try to come to a deal before the holidays.
“So what we’re going to do is go back to the House and work with our members,” Ryan added. “We want to keep the government open, but we also want to see an agreement that protects the border.”
Trump’s rejection of a bill that would keep the government fully operational through February 8 comes just one day before funding expires for key agencies — sending lawmakers scrambling for a new compromise.
So far, Democrats have stood firm, saying they will not support a spending measure that…
