Trump is already plotting to take 800,000 workers hostage again
Trump’s acting chief of staff says Trump is prepared to shut down the government again in mid-February.
Just days after Trump caved and signed legislation ending the government shutdown, White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney spent Sunday morning saying Trump is prepared to shut it down once again.
Host Margaret Brennan asked Mulvaney, “Is the president really prepared to shut down the government — again — in three weeks?”
Mulvaney didn’t flinch before he answered, “Yes, I think he is.”
“Keep in mind he’s willing to do whatever it takes to secure the border,” he added.
White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says "um, yeah!" Trump would shut down the government again in three weeks. pic.twitter.com/acn32Z65E2
— Matt Shuham (@mattshuham) January 27, 2019
Trump shut down the government in late December after throwing a tantrum over funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump held the paychecks of federal employees hostage for more than a month, then finally caved and agreed to reopen the government on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s terms.
But the agreement only reopens the government for three weeks, during which time Congress will meet to discuss border security issues. Funding for several agencies expires on Feb. 15, and Mulvaney says Trump may once again engage in shutdown politics again at that time.
Polls showed the public strongly disapproved of Trump’s decision to shut down the government in December. Over the course of the shutdown, Trump’s approval ratings plunged, and the public was significantly more supportive of Pelosi’s handling of the situation, which included passing legislation to reopen the government.
Throughout the process, congressional Republicans were too afraid to stand up to Trump and fund the government over his objections. Their cowardice led to the longest shutdown in history, with horrendous results. In addition to 800,000 unpaid federal workers, FBI agents warned about national security concerns and air travel was less safe. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the U.S. economy lost $3 billion because of the Trump shutdown.
Despite the harm caused to families across the country, Mulvaney admits Trump is ready to go down the very same path in only three weeks. He is willing to take the very same federal employees — and the American economy — hostage yet again, all because of his unhealthy obsession with a border wall.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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