GOP wants to delay border wall funding, Trump remains undecided on government shutdown

By Jennifer G. Hickey | September 7, 2018

After a White House meeting attended by House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said any detailed decisions about how to fund the border wall would be delayed until after the November mid-term elections.

“I expect us to do a short-term continuing resolution for the balance of the funding and have the discussion about how to fund the wall after the election,” he said in an interview with Fox News.

The Kentucky Republican estimated that 90 percent of the federal budget would be dealt with before the Oct. 1 deadline to pass legislation to keep the government open. He added the chances of a shutdown were “zero.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a Freedom Caucus member and a potential candidate to replace Speaker Ryan, took to the House floor on Wednesday saying it was time to fund the wall. He then asked, “You really think we’re going to get it done after the election? When has that ever happened?”

There are some divisions, however, among the Freedom Caucus on whether to hold off on the issue until after the election.

President Trump also seemed divided on the wisdom of a shutting down the government over border wall funds.

Following the meeting with GOP congressional leaders, the president was asked if he would rule out a shutdown and told reporters that it was a possibility.

“If it’s about border security, I’m willing to do anything. We have to protect our borders. If we don’t protect our borders, our country is not going to be a country. So if it’s about border security, I’m willing to do what has to be done,” he asserted.

However, a day later during a rally in Montana, he told Fox News’ Pete Hegseth in a live interview that if it was up to me, I’d shut down government over border security.” But, he added, “I guess when you get right down to it, it is up to me, but I don’t want to do anything to hurt us or potentially hurt us.”