Trump says government shutdown ‘could happen’

President Donald Trump said Thursday a government shutdown “could happen,” as lawmakers continue to scramble to reach a deal to avert it.

Addressing reporters outside the Pentagon, Trump added: “We’ll see what happens. It’s up to the Democrats.”

The White House said later Thursday that Trump supports the short-term funding legislation being pushed by House Republican leaders.

“The President supports the continuing resolution introduced in the House,” White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah said in a statement. “Congress needs to do its job and provide full funding of our troops and military with a two year budget caps deal. However, as the deal is negotiated, the President wants to ensure our military and national security are funded. He will not let it be held hostage by Democrats.”

Trump and the White House say if a shutdown occurs, the fault would lie squarely on Democrats, even though the Republican Party controls both houses of Congress and the presidency.

“Our tax cuts and our tax reform has turned out to be far greater than anybody ever anticipated and I’m sure the Democrats would like to blunt that by shutting down government,” the president said.

Trump said the biggest loser in the event of a shutdown would be the military. “We’re never letting our military lose at any point,” he said.

he president had introduced fresh confusion into GOP efforts to find an agreement to keep the government open earlier Thursday when he tweeted about a popular children’s healthcare program.

“CHIP should be part of a long term solution, not a 30 Day, or short term, extension!,” Trump wrote in reference to the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Republican leaders have included a six-year extension of the program in a bill that would keep the government open through Feb. 16.

Source:.politico.com