As Senate leaders began a new round of negotiations to end the government shutdown Thursday, President Trump said any deal must include at least symbolic money for his border-wall plans.
“One of the ideas suggested is they open, they pay some sort of prorated down payment on the wall which you need,” the president said at the White House.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer went into negotiations after two separate plans, one from Mr. Trump and one from Mr. Schumer, failed to clear filibusters.
Several senators suggested one option would be to agree to a short-term bill to reopen the nine shuttered departments for a few weeks, giving everyone a chance to negotiate a final border security deal.
The White House said that would be an option, but only if it included a “down payment” on the wall as well.
The negotiations and line-drawing came after the two failed Senate votes.
Mr. Trump’s immigration compromise, which would have reopened the government, offered temporary legal status to 1 million migrants and spent $5.7 billion on his border wall plans, garnered 50 votes — 10 shy of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.
Democrats’ option, which would have reopened government for two weeks without any new border security money, garnered 52 votes, eight shy of the number needed.
Mr. Trump said those votes were a victory for his side, because Republicans “held” their own members for the most part.
“You need 60,” he said.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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