NEVERMIND

White House Backs Off Government Shutdown Threats Over Border Wall

Officials tell Congress $1.6B for wall doesn’t need to be part of continuing resolution negotiations.

The White House is backing off threats that it will shut down the government if Congress does not appropriate money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in its next budget bill, The Washington Post reported Friday. President Trump threatened a shutdown at his August rally in Phoenix, saying, “Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it. But believe me, if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall.” However White House officials reportedly notified Congress after the rally that the $1.6 billion in new funding for the wall does not need to be in a “continuing resolution” meant to fund the government until early December. So far money has only been appropriated to fund the government through Sept. 30.