Trump doubles down on government shutdown threat as Italian PM Giuseppe shows support for US immigration policy

Government funding is set to expire on 30 September

US President Donald Trump doubles down on his threat to shut down the government over funding for his border wall with Mexico during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump has doubled down on his threat to shut down the federal government over funding for his proposed US-Mexico border wall, as Democrats said they will not succumb to his “bullying”.

He said there would “no problem doing a shutdown” over immigration policies as he praised the new populist, anti-immigration government of Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte during a joint press conference at the White House during the latter's visit. Mr Trump had earlier tweeted: "I would be willing to 'shut down' government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT!"

Congresswoman Maxine Waters said on MSNBC: “American citizens are not going to pay for this wall, he’s not going to shut down the government, and we’re not going to be intimidated by his bluffing and his bullying”.

The government is set to run out of money just 37 days before the upcoming November midterm election.

Democrats will be furiously campaigning all over the country in the next 100 days or so before the election and likely reminding voters how Mr Trump repeatedly promised on during 2016 presidential campaign Mexico would pay for the border wall.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said through spokesman Drew Hammill the president “should stay on the golf course and stay out of the appropriations process” through which any kind of border wall funding would have to pass.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said through spokesman Matt House, Mr Trump “should learn from his mistakes” calling to attention a border wall funding bill which only garnered 39 votes on the Senate floor the last time the administration tried to pass it.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine tweeted in response: “President Shutdown is at it again.”

Mr Kaine asked “how many times will he threaten to shut down the government - putting ... out nation’s economy at risk as well as the livelihoods of thousands of federal workers - before he realises this is not a game?”

House member Ted Deutch said allowing the government to shut down over a border wall that “won’t make us safer” only serves to “explode GOP deficits and betray our values”.

Shutdowns “do not make America great,” Mr Deutch tweeted.

Congress member Karen Bass said Mr Trump was the “only person calling” for a shutdown, adding the president would “rather spend billions on a campaign promise than keep services available for veterans, small businesses, and children”.

However, criticism and incredulity over a government shutdown is not limited to the opposition.

Republicans faced a nightmare of backlash over Mr Trump’s recent family separation policy at the US border, during which more than 2,000 children were taken from families who had illegally crossed the border.

The move was called “cruel” by former First Lady Laura Bush, and condemned by several others.

The “zero tolerance” policy implemented by Attorney General Jeff Sessions essentially made seeking asylum - which requires a seeker’s physical presence in the US to apply - a crime.

The administration has still not reunited all the children separated from families, all kept in detention facilities for an indefinite amount of time until likely deportation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan both met with the president just last week about averting a shutdown and said, after Mr Trump’s tweeted threat, neither thought it would happen.

Earlier in the weekend, however, the Kentucky Senator told a local radio station in Louisville the unavoidable battle over the border wall funding would likely have to wait until after the November elections and that it is “something [he and the president] do have a disagreement on.”

Mr Ryan said before the threat “the president’s willing to be patient to make sure that we get what we need so that we can get that done, because border security’s extremely important”.

Senator Ron Johnson told CBS’ Face the Nation programme about the possibility: “Let’s hope not”.

He said he did not think it would help the party in the upcoming election, adding: “so let’s try to avoid it”.

Republican Congressman Tom Cole agreed, telling the New York Times: “We’re going to have a challenging midterm anyway, and I don’t see how putting the attention on shutting down the government when you control the government is going to help you”.

The current funding to keep the government operating is set to end on 30 September.