GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo on Monday urged President Trump to look to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for guidance in brokering a compromise to reopen the federal government, which entered its 10th day of the partial shutdown.
The president closed the government over funding for his border wall, saying he wants $5 billion dollars, but Democrats have refused to meet his demands.
“He should empower them to come up with compromises,” Mr. Curbelo of Florida told CNN. “He really needs to look at leaders like Mitch McConnell.”
Republican lawmakers have suggested extending legal status for “Dreamers” — children brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents — in exchange for the wall funding.
But no deal is in sight after congressional leaders left Washington over the holidays. They return to Capitol Hill later this week.
Mr. Curbelo said that during the Obama administration’s shutdown, lawmakers were at the White House negotiating, but that’s not the case with this president.
“Now, we are not even talking, and it’s just a shame and it shows how far our politics have fallen in this country,” the congressman said.
The Florida lawmaker lost his re-election bid earlier this year to a Democrat in southwest Florida.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump doesn’t appear willing to walk back his demand and called for the Democrats to return to D.C.
“I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an “Open Wound,” where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here an [sic] fix now!” the president tweeted Monday.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.