Trump: Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh Want Government Shutdown Before Midterms
The president cited the opinions of two of his most loyal media mouthpieces to back up his preference to shut the government down sooner rather than later over immigration.
Leah Millis / Reuters
During yet another long, rambling rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that was ostensibly meant to bolster Republican Lou Barletta’s attempt to unseat two-term Democratic Senator Bob Casey, President Donald Trump again brought up the idea of shutting down the government over the issue of “border security.”
And he made it clear which advisers he was listening to as he publicly flirts with that idea.
Trump told the crowd that some “friends” of his are telling him to wait until after the 2018 midterm elections to force a shutdown. “You know who thinks it should [be] before?” he said. “Rush Limbaugh thinks it should be before. Before the election. You know who else? Sean Hannity.” The names of both right-wing media stars received loud cheers from the Trump supporters. “Great people,” he added.
If Trump shuts down the government in September because Congress won't fund his border wall it's because Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity told him to do it.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) August 2, 2018
This isn't a conspiracy theory.
He just said it out loud. pic.twitter.com/CGKzG8bwCP
On the other hand, he continued, “A lot of well-meaning Republicans say, ‘Look, we’ve got the best economy ever. We’re doing great. Maybe we don’t want to complicate it.’” Top GOP lawmakers have publicly pushed back against the idea of another government shutdown.
“And I understand it,” Trump said. “And I’m a little torn myself. But I’d personally prefer before.”
Trump discussed the issue with Limbaugh when he called into his syndicated radio show on Wednesday to celebrate its 30th year on the air.
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“I actually think it would be a positive,” Trump told Limbaugh of his shutdown idea. “It's like pulling teeth, getting these guys to get it done. And you have no idea how tough I've been. And I say hey, if you have a shutdown, you have a shutdown."
“I think it’s a great campaign issue. I think it would be great before [the midterms],” he added. “I actually think we’d get more and there’d be more pressure on the other side, because we’re doing it because the Democrats are not giving us the votes.” Unsurprisingly, Limbaugh agreed.
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