Trump Puts the Screws on House Republicans to Reopen the Government ‘WITHOUT DELAY’

(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump put the screws on House Republicans to reopen the federal government “WITHOUT DELAY” in a Monday afternoon Truth Social post.

“I am working hard with Speaker Johnson to get the current funding deal, which passed in the Senate last week, through the House and to my desk, where I will sign it into Law, IMMEDIATELY!” began the president, who continued:

We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY. There can be NO CHANGES at this time. We will work together in good faith to address the issues that have been raised, but we cannot have another long, pointless, and destructive Shutdown that will hurt our Country so badly — One that will not benefit Republicans or Democrats. I hope everyone will vote, YES!

A partial government shutdown began on Saturday morning as Republicans and Democrats continue to fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, amidst the continued controversy over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Last week, the White House struck a deal to continue funding DHS at current levels for two weeks to allow for further negotiations, and the Senate passed a legislative package to act on that agreement on Friday.

Now, Trump is calling for the aforementioned Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to bring the same legislation up for a vote in the House, even though some conservatives in his caucus object to the deal.

CNN provided further context in a Monday morning report:

Every vote matters in Johnson’s slim majority. The Louisiana Republican can afford to lose only two defections on a party-line vote. That margin will soon be even lower: House Democrats elected another member from Texas — Christian Menefee — in a special election over the weekend. Once Menefee is sworn in, Johnson can afford only a single defection.

Top House Democrats, for their part, have communicated to Johnson they are not inclined to help him advance the deal that Trump made with Senate Democrats.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Johnson during a call Saturday that Democrats won’t help Republicans pass the bill if they attempted to fast-track the measure Monday, according to two sources familiar with the call. After that move, Republican leaders decided not to attempt that fast-tracked process and will instead proceed through regular order — which will require near-unanimity within the House GOP to advance the bill.

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