Trump on shutdown: ‘We are not giving up’ on border wall | TheHill – The Hill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpCharting a roadmap for North Korea Trump claims ‘wall’ around Obamas’ DC home is ‘same thing’ as border wall Graham: Trump ‘open-minded’ to wedding border funding to DACA protections MORE said Monday that he is “not giving up” on getting funding for a wall along the southern border, saying that he has “no choice” but to continue the government shutdown over the wall.

“We are not giving up. We have to have border security. And the wall is a big part of border security — the biggest part,” he said during an interview on Fox News’s “All American New Year” with Pete Hegseth that aired on New Year’s Eve.

Trump added during the interview that he is “ready to go” and willing to negotiate with Democratic leaders in Congress.

“I’m ready, willing and able. I’m in the White House,” he said. “I’m ready to go. They can come over right now. They could have come over any time. I spent Christmas in the White House. I spent New Year’s Eve now in the White House. I’m here. I’m ready to go.”

The federal government has been in a partial shutdown since Dec. 22, with lawmakers unable to come to an agreement over Trump’s demand for $5 billion in funding for a wall along the southern border.

Trump did not say during the Fox News interview whether he is still looking for the full $5 billion in funding.

Democrats, who will gain control of the House when the new Congress takes office this week, have said they will not agree to fund a wall. 

Trump also took to Twitter on Monday evening to push for the wall, saying that “without the Wall there can be no Border Security” and predicting that Democrats won’t offer to fund the wall.

“The Democrats will probably submit a Bill, being cute as always, which gives everything away but gives NOTHING to Border Security, namely the Wall. You see, without the Wall there can be no Border Security – the Tech ‘stuff’ is just, by comparison, meaningless bells & whistles,” he tweeted.

“Remember this. Throughout the ages some things NEVER get better and NEVER change. You have Walls and you have Wheels. It was ALWAYS that way and it will ALWAYS be that way! Please explain to the Democrats that there can NEVER be a replacement for a good old fashioned WALL!” he continued.

The Democrats will probably submit a Bill, being cute as always, which gives everything away but gives NOTHING to Border Security, namely the Wall. You see, without the Wall there can be no Border Security – the Tech “stuff” is just, by comparison, meaningless bells & whistles…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019

…Remember this. Throughout the ages some things NEVER get better and NEVER change. You have Walls and you have Wheels. It was ALWAYS that way and it will ALWAYS be that way! Please explain to the Democrats that there can NEVER be a replacement for a good old fashioned WALL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019

Rep. Nita LoweyNita Sue LoweyGOP seeks to ram through Trump’s B wall demand The Year Ahead: Tough tests loom for Trump trade agenda Oval Office clash ups chances of shutdown MORE (D-N.Y.) earlier on Monday introduced a continuing resolution to fund Homeland Security through Feb. 8, separating border security funding from a legislative package that would fund the remaining agencies through the end of the fiscal year.

Democrats are expected to force votes on the two bills on Thursday, when they gain control of the House.