The White House defended Monday the outcome of spending negotiations, saying the deal for funding the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year was “a big step forward.”
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that everything President Trump won in the spending deal was a bonus, since the funding for the current fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 was supposed to be set before Mr. Trump took office.
“This is something he wouldn’t normally have a shot at,” Mr. Spicer said.
He said the president would more fully put his stamp on government funding in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
“This is a downpayment on border security. This is downpayment on rebuilding the military,” he said.
In the deal, President Trump secured increased funding for the military and border security, but Capitol Hill Democrats won on several fronts, including retaining funding for Planned Parenthood and increasing funding to agencies the president wanted to cut.
Democratic leaders have chalked up the spending negotiations as a win for their party.
“This is something that needed 60 votes in the Senate. We couldn’t get our way on everything,” Mr. Spicer said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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