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US Government Shutdown Likely as Trump Fights for Border Wall Funding

© AFP 2023 / Sandy HuffakerBorder Patrol agents patrol the United States-Mexico Border wall during Opening the Door Of Hope/Abriendo La Puerta De La Esparana at Friendship Park in San Ysidro, California on Saturday, November 19, 2016
Border Patrol agents patrol the United States-Mexico Border wall during Opening the Door Of Hope/Abriendo La Puerta De La Esparana at Friendship Park in San Ysidro, California on Saturday, November 19, 2016 - Sputnik International
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US House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) revealed Thursday that US President Donald Trump had rejected a recent spending bill meant to avert a government shutdown because it failed to include funding for a wall along the US' southern border.

The bill, which was approved by the US Senate late Wednesday, was expected to keep the government funded and open for business through February 8, 2019.

"We just had a very long, productive meeting with the president," Ryan told reporters. "The president informed us that he will not sign the bill that came from the Senate last evening because of his legitimate concerns for border security."

In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump gestures while speaking at the Harris Conference Center in Charlotte, N.C. President Donald Trump is escalating his attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, suggesting the embattled official should have intervened in investigations of two GOP congressmen to help Republicans in the midterms. Trump tweeted Monday that “investigations of two very popular Republican Congressmen were brought to a well publicized charge, just ahead of the Mid-Terms, by the Jeff Sessions Justice Department.” - Sputnik International
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"We want to keep the government open, but we also want to see an agreement that protects the border. We have a very serious concern about securing our border," he added, stressing that lawmakers would simply have to go back to the drawing board.

"The president said he will not sign this bill, so we're going to go back and work on adding border security to this."

In a subsequent statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote, "We urgently need funding for border security, and that includes a wall."

The rejected spending bill did not provide for Trump's specific border wall vision, instead offering $1.3 billion for border security and fencing, according to WTOP. Trump's requested $5 billion was nowhere to be seen.

US House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) did give reporters insight on the next steps for lawmakers, suggesting that new language would be added in regards to border wall funds. However, it's unclear if the new stop-gap spending bill will be able to actually pass through the House and Senate.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up while addressing the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference in Washington. (File) - Sputnik International
Trump Says 'Torn' Over Timing of Government Shutdown

"Boy, we can't have government shutdown. It's never good," Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told CNN after being informed of Ryan's announcement. "How many times do we have to learn that?"

Addressing the matter at the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, Trump stood firm to his guns, saying "At this moment there is a debate over funding border security and the wall… I've made my position very clear — any measure that funds the government must include border security — has to. Not for political purposes but for our country, safety, for community."

Citing the US massive expenditures on foreign wars, the president said "I am asking Congress to defend the border of our nation for a tiny fraction — a tiny fraction — of [their] cost."

"Walls works, whether we like it or not, they work better than anything," Trump later added.

Lawmakers have until midnight Friday to stave off a partial government shutdown.

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