White House President Trump at his desk in the Oval Office during the shut down.
Callers to the White House’s comment line are receiving a message blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. The voicemail recording was changed Saturday morning after the Senate failed to approve a short-term spending bill Friday night.
“Thank you for calling the White House,” a woman says in the recording when a caller reaches the comment line, 202-456-1111. “Unfortunately, we cannot answer your call today. Congressional Democrats are holding government funding, including funding for our troops and other national security priorities, hostage to an unrelated immigration debate. Due to this obstruction, the government is shut down. In the meantime, you can leave a comment at http://www.whitehouse.gov, forward-slash contact. We look forward to taking your calls as soon as the government reopens.”
You can listen to the message below:
The White House and President Donald Trump have attacked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats since the shutdown started.
In a statement at the shutdown started, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown. Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children and our country’s ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiations on immigration reform. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the President and his Administration will fight for and protect the American people.”
Sanders later tweeted, “One year into the Trump presidency, Democrats can’t shut down the booming Trump economy so they shut down the government instead. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. Do your job Democrats: fund our military and reopen our government #SchumerShutdown.”
One year into the Trump presidency, Democrats can’t shut down the booming Trump economy so they shut down the government instead. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. Do your job Democrats: fund our military and reopen our government #SchumerShutdown
And, “Nancy Pelosi is “very proud” Democrats shut the government down over illegal immigration and is taking Democrats out tonight to celebrate. Nice message to send to the brave men & women of our military and border patrol forced to work without pay during the #DemocraticShutdown.”
On Sunday, Sanders tweeted, “Democrats can shut down the government, but not the booming Trump economy, millions of new jobs, low unemployment for women, blacks & hispanics, tax cuts for families and businesses, ObamaCare individual mandate repeal, or winning campaign to defeat ISIS.”
Democrats can shut down the government, but not the booming Trump economy, millions of new jobs, low unemployment for women, blacks & hispanics, tax cuts for families and businesses, ObamaCare individual mandate repeal, or winning campaign to defeat ISIS.
t.co/n0nMwkr2sY
On Saturday, Trump tweeted, “Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can’t let that happen!”
Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can’t let that happen!
He attacked Democrats again on Sunday, writing on Twitter, “Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border. The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget, no C.R.’s!”
Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border. The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long term budget, no C.R.’s!
Schumer and Pelosi, meanwhile, are blaming Trump and Republicans.
“Congressional leaders tell me to negotiate with President Trump. President Trump tells me to figure it out with the congressional leaders,” Schumer said Saturday, according to CNN. “Because the President campaigned on the wall, even though he said it would be paid by Mexico, and demands the wall, for the sake of compromise, for the sake of coming together, I offered it. Despite what some people are saying on TV — and mind you these are folks not in the room during discussion — that is exactly what happened. The President picked a number for a wall. I accepted it.”
In a statement, Pelosi said, ” Republicans’ total inability to govern is once again threatening our economy, weakening communities, and dangerously depriving the military of the certainty they need to keep our nation safe. I am proud of House and Senate Democrats’ unity in insisting on a budget that supports our military and the domestic investments that keep our nation strong, and that honors our values by protecting the DREAMers. I hope that we can now conduct bipartisan negotiations where we find our common ground to honor our responsibility to meet the needs of the American people.”