President Donald Trump rejected a deal to end the government shutdown that would have allowed TSA employees to start getting paid again, insiders have revealed.
White House aides and Republican Senate colleagues urged the chamber’s Majority Leader John Thune to approach Trump with a new proposal on Sunday, as he was in the throes of threatening Iran with hellfire—before sensationally U-turning on Monday morning.
But it appeared Trump was in no mood to take up an offer that Thune said Democrats were willing to rubber-stamp, despite the proposal providing a way for TSA workers to start getting their paychecks and travel chaos at airports to subside. Trump reportedly balked at the deal as it contained no recourse to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a huge sticking point.
The agreement would have ended the 37-day government shutdown causing mayhem in airports across the country. There are about 61,000 TSA employees currently caught in the middle of the fight, and, after Trump’s reported refusal, Congress remains locked in a stalemate over funding the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA.
Even after Thune assured the president that reconciliation could be used to handle ICE funding and deprive Democrats of some of their key demands, Trump shot down the proposal, according to Punchbowl sources. Instead, Trump is said to have demanded Republicans stay in Washington and keep up pressure on Democrats to support both DHS funding and the SAVE America Act—his sweeping GOP bill targeting voter identification and election rules.
He reportedly vowed to publicly chastise any Senate Republicans who dare to leave town for recess, promising them an Easter dinner at the White House that some interpreted as more threatening than hospitable.
In a Truth Social post hours after Thune’s approach, Trump blew up at Republicans who were ready to team up with Democrats on the agreement. He claimed, in a lengthy statement, that they were “voting against AMERICA.”
“I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,’” he raged.
Trump appealed to Thune to “clearly identify those few ‘Republicans’ that are Voting against AMERICA,” warning that “they will never be elected again!”
Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins said that Republicans have considered an “Everything but ICE” option to end the stalemate.
“That is being discussed,” Collins said.
Thune’s office and the White House have been contacted for comment.
