Calgary One Big Problem For Trump's Shutdown Threats: Congressional Republicans | HuffPost Latest News - Action.News ABC Action News WestNet-HD Weather Traffic

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has once again threatened to shut down the government if Democrats dont give in to his demands for border wall funding this fall but Senate Republicans are already showing signs of uneasiness with the presidents strategy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) largely ducked questions about Trumps latest threats Tuesday, telling reporters that Republicans want to achieve what the president wants on wall funding, but avoiding questions about the fundamental dynamics of the situation specifically, Democrats unwillingness to give in on money for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Im hoping were going to be able to resolve this issue, McConnell said, without clarifying whether he meant resolving the strategic difference with the president or the wall funding issue with Democrats.

Trump seems increasingly convinced that he can win a shutdown standoff and despite the November midterms approaching, he doesnt seem to care about the election consequences anymore.

I dont care what the political ramifications are, our immigration laws and border security have been a complete and total disaster for decades, and there is no way that the Democrats will allow it to be fixed without a Government Shutdown...

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Donald J. Trump","author_url":"https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump","cache_age":86400,"description":"I dont care what the political ramifications are, our immigration laws and border security have been a complete and total disaster for decades, and there is no way that the Democrats will allow it to be fixed without a Government Shutdown... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Donald J. Trump on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1024347406887014404","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5b60b51fe4b0fd5c73d3d8fd","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/trump-government-shutdown-senate-republicans_n_5b60b51fe4b0fd5c73d3d8fd","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,mitch-mcconnell,republican-party-united-states,richard-shelby,government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states,@health_depression,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":7},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5b60b51fe4b0fd5c73d3d8fd","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"Mitch McConnell","slug":"mitch-mcconnell","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/mitch-mcconnell","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/mitch-mcconnell","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/mitch-mcconnell"},"relegenceId":3588625,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Mitch McConnell","slug":"mitch-mcconnell","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/mitch-mcconnell"},{"name":"Republican Party United States","slug":"republican-party-united-states","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/republican-party-united-states","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-party-united-states","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-party-united-states"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Republican Party","slug":"republican-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/republican-party"},{"name":" richard shelby","slug":"richard-shelby","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/richard-shelby","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/richard-shelby","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/richard-shelby"},"relegenceId":3594099,"url":"https://action.news/topic/richard-shelby"},{"name":"Government shutdowns in the United States","slug":"government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Government Shutdown","slug":"government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/government-shutdowns-in-the-united-states"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

I dont care what the political ramifications are, our immigration laws and border security have been a complete and total disaster for decades, and there is no way that the Democrats will allow it to be fixed without a Government Shutdown...
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018

Trump has recently tweeted about how he would be willing to shut down the government for wall money, and hes mentioned the gambit repeatedly in prepared remarks.

At this point, two months before government funding actually runs out, Trump has plenty of time to flip-flop on his calls for a shutdown. But his calls to let the funding run out if he doesnt get his wall are already making Republicans uneasy.

Senate appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) told reporters Monday night that the president was making his point regarding the wall. But in the meantime were trying to fund the government to [prevent] any shutdown, he said.

Asked if he thought shutting down the government would help Republicans get wall funding, Shelby said he didnt think anybody would benefit in that scenario. Thats a no-win for both parties, he said.

The longest-serving senator, Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), told reporters Monday that hes not taking Trumps shutdown threats seriously , and other Senate Republicans dont seem to be panicking quite yet.

When HuffPost asked Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) whether a shutdown would, as Trump seems to think, help Republicans get wall funding, Cornyn said he didnt think so. And the No. 3 Senate Republican, GOP conference Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.), also said he didnt think a shutdown would be helpful.

Maybe its a negotiating point, Thune said of the presidents tweets.

But ironically, Trumps calls for a shutdown and his willingness to take ownership of a shutdown on Twitter might make it even harder for Republicans to play hardball on government funding and a wall.

If Republicans know theyll be the ones taking the blame for a shutdown, particularly a shutdown one month before midterm elections, shuttering government over wall money isnt going to be a very popular idea in the GOP conference.

Trump may think its the only way he can get wall funding, but Republicans could at least persuade him to accept a short-term appropriations bill, which would allow them to delay such a fight until after the elections.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Already Republicans acknowledge that Congress probably wont be able to fund the government entirely through the normal appropriations process, potentially requiring a bill to keep open the parts of government that are not funded through regular spending measures.

But there is a reckoning coming, and at some point, either Trump will have to eat his words or congressional Republicans will.

When McConnell was asked about Trumps shutdown threats on Monday, he said he was optimistic we can avoid a government shutdown.

Someone is going to be wrong.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Sign Up

Support Free Journalism

Support Free Journalism