President Donald Trump said Saturday he would be willing to extend a short deadline extension for the Department of Homeland Security funding, after the death of former President George H.W. Bush.
Trump confirmed to reporters that he had been approached by members of Congress about an extension.
“I would absolutely consider it and probably give it,” he said to reporters aboard Air Force One.
The president has threatened a partial shutdown of the government if Congress fails to include $5 billion of additional wall funding into the bill.
Many members of Congress plan to attend Bush’s Washington D.C. funeral, scheduled for Wednesday, December 5, followed by a Thursday ceremony in Texas.
Funding expires on Friday, December 7 for DHS as well as the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Interior, State, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.
Trump has vowed to shut down the border entirely if Democrats continue opposing funding for his promised wall.
“We would save Billions of Dollars if the Democrats would give us the votes to build the Wall,” he wrote on Twitter. “Either way, people will NOT be allowed into our Country illegally! We will close the entire Southern Border if necessary. Also, STOP THE DRUGS!”
We would save Billions of Dollars if the Democrats would give us the votes to build the Wall. Either way, people will NOT be allowed into our Country illegally! We will close the entire Southern Border if necessary. Also, STOP THE DRUGS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2018
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