Even after the second week of the partial government shutdown in the US, no end to the budget dispute is in sight. A meeting of President Donald Trump and the top Democrats on Friday was again fruitless. Trump then said he was prepared for a long „shutdown“, even if it took years. At the same time he addressed a possible national emergency in order to be able to exploit more powers.
The budget dispute in the US continued to be deadlocked after the summit meeting between Trump, the new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (Democrats), and Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader in the Senate. „We just ended a lengthy and controversial conversation with the president,“ Pelosi said after the White House meeting. Schumer said that Trump had threatened a „shutdown“ of unprecedented length: „He said he would shut down the government for a very long time – months or even years.“
The Trump then confirmed at a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House. „I do not think it will, but I’m prepared,“ said Trump. The background is the bitter dispute between Trump and the opposition Democrats over the financing of a wall on the border with Mexico. Trump demands more than five billion dollars for it, the Democrats reject that categorically. The president is dependent on the question but on the votes of the Democrats in Congress.
Use of special powers possible
Trump also hinted that he could use special powers to push the wall past the Democrats. Asked if he would explain the state of emergency, Trump said on Friday: „I did not do it. I could do it … But we can declare the national emergency and build it very quickly. „Security considerations could cause the US to declare the national emergency,“ absolutely „, Trump said. This should not be a threat to the Democrats: „I would never threaten anyone, but I am allowed to do that, yes.“
By the intermediate election in early November, the balance of power had shifted in Congress. Trump’s Republicans continue to hold the majority in the Senate. The Democrats have been in power in the House of Representatives since Thursday.
With their new majority in the House of Representatives, the Democrats passed a budget proposal on the first day – with the aim of ending the budget freeze. The funds required by Trump for building the wall were not included. The White House had therefore made it clear even before the vote that Trump would reject the proposal.
New talks scheduled
The president also signaled on Friday the hope that the „shutdown“ could take only a few days. The meeting with the Democrats had been productive, there were further talks during the weekend – but in a different composition: For the White House then Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and Homeland Security Minister Kirstjen Nielsen negotiate.
The budget dispute has already paralyzed parts of the US government for two weeks. Shortly before Christmas, a budget freeze for several ministries came into effect because a budget law was not adopted in time for these ministries.
This affects about a quarter of federal agencies – including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Agriculture, the IRS, the National Park Administration and the NASA. Even the Department of Homeland Security, which takes care of the border security, is among them. Hundreds of thousands of government employees are on forced leave or have to work for the time being without salary.
Trump had already promised his followers in the presidential election campaign to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Actually, should pay for it to his will, the Mexicans. Originally Trump had also demanded a concrete wall. He has since moved away from it and now speaks of a steel fence or a barrier.
