Government shutdown: Trump says 'no substitute' for wall on Mexico border but backs away from declaring national emergency

President says he will 'never ever back down' in fight over border security

Donald Trump says workers not getting paid because of government shutdown will have to 'make adjustments'

Donald Trump has dismissed a proposal from a key ally in Congress that would end the longest US government shutdown in American history, declaring that he would "never ever back down" over border security..

Twenty-four days into the partial shut down, Mr Trump rejected the idea from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The Senator had indicated he discussed the option of reopening the government temporarily as negotiations continue with Democrats over their refusal to sanction a demand from the president for $5.7bn to build a wall on the US-Mexico borer.

That idea had seen some support from Democrats, but the president declined to bite.

“I’m not interested,” Mr Trump said on Monday as he made his way to New Orleans, where he gave a speech to a farming convention. “I want it solved. I don’t want to just delay it. I want to get it solved”.

The comment came just hours after the president tweeted that he had been “waiting all weekend” to negotiate with congressional Democrats to reopen the government and that he believed an end could be negotiated in 15 minutes.

Having dismissed that option from Mr Graham while leaving the White House, Mr Trump used his speech in New Orleans to say there was “no substitute” for a physical barrier along the southern border with Mexico.

He also accused Democrats of playing politics in refusing to negotiate on the issue.

“They think if they stop me, it’ll be good for 2020,” Mr Trump said of Democrats in Congress. “We need that barrier. … If you don’t have that barrier there, there is not a thing you can do.”

However, with the shutdown having left 800,000 federal workers without pay, there are signs that Mr Trump is beginning to lose the battle for public opinion.

A Quinnipiac University poll released on Monday found that 63 per cent of voters agree with the long-standing Democrat proposal to reopen parts of the government that do not involve border security, with 30 per cent opposed.

The same poll found 63 per cent of respondents also oppose using the shutdown to force wall funding, with 32 per cent supporting Mr Trump's stance.

The poll also found that 56 percent of American voters blame Mr Trump and Republicans in Congress for the partial shutdown.

To see how the day unfolded follow our liveblog below

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load

[14 January 2019 23:32 · Chris Stevenson]

In an email to supporters this afternoon, Donald Trump is asking questions like this:

Which group should our government put first?

• American Citizens
• Illegal Aliens

Nancy and Chuck have made it clear that they don’t want to know your opinions on how to keep America safe. They don’t want to know why you want the wall. But I do, Friend. 

As one of our top supporters, I need your IMMEDIATE input on our Official Secure The Border Survey.

I plan to review the responses of every American Patriot before my next meeting with Nancy and Chuck.

[14 January 2019 23:41 · Chris Stevenson]

The House is set to take up two continuing resolutions (CRs) aimed at temporarily reopening the government as negotiations remain stalled over funding for President Trump's border wall.

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat from New York introduced the stopgap measures on Monday.

The first of which provides funding for closed government agencies until 1 February and the second of which would provide funding until the end of that month. Neither measure would provide additional funding for the barrier along the US-Mexico border that Mr Trump wants.

[15 January 2019 00:03 · Chris Stevenson]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has said it will move officers around the country to deal with local shortages at airports. A few airports are making changes to deal with the shortage of screeners.  

At Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, a security checkpoint and ticket counter that were shuttered Sunday afternoon in Terminal B will remain closed through Tuesday, a spokesman said. 

[15 January 2019 00:18 · Chris Stevenson]

Here is our final report on the day's events - with Mr Trump refusing to budge over his demands for wall funding.

[15 January 2019 00:19 · Chris Stevenson]

With that, we are closing our coverage for now. Thanks for reading.