WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense political pressure from his conservative base, President Donald Trump is trying to find a way to fulfill a central promise from his 2016 campaign, constructing a border wall with Mexico, as the specter of a holiday shutdown loomed.
In a dramatic showdown, Trump told House Republican leaders Thursday that he will not back a Senate-passed spending measure to avert a partial federal shutdown because it lacks the money he is demanding for the wall. Without a deal, the government will partially shut down Friday at midnight.
Trump's declaration came amid growing outrage from conservative allies who are urging the president to veto any plan that doesn't meet his terms.