President Trump had a lot of topics to cover outside the White House ahead of his trip to New Orleans Monday. Namely, how the Washington impasse over border security has now kept the government shuttered for 24 days.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) supports the president's plan to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, even to the point where he urged him to declare a national emergency if the Democrats don't budge.
Mr. President,
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 11, 2019
Declare a national emergency NOW.
Build a wall NOW.
However, Graham recently suggested Trump consider a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government for three weeks and give them more time to talk with Democrats. But on Monday Trump confirmed he rejected it.
“I’m not interested," Trump said. "I want to get it solved. I don’t want to just delay it. I want to get it solved.”
The president also continued to sound off on Democrats who flew to Puerto Rico instead of staying in Washington to find a solution. He's been tweeting all weekend how he has been waiting in the White House for Democrats to show up at his door. Judging by the sheer volume of his tweets, he's getting bored.
Wish I could share with everyone the beauty and majesty of being in the White House and looking outside at the snow filled lawns and Rose Garden. Really is something - SPECIAL COUNTRY, SPECIAL PLACE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2019
If they really wanted to, Trump said they could end the shutdown in 15 minutes. Instead, he noted on Monday, they're in Puerto Rico "celebrating." Maybe, he said, they're "celebrating the shutdown."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2019
RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel made the same observation.
Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are not negotiating in good faith with @realDonaldTrump.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 13, 2019
Instead, Congressional Democrats spent the weekend on the beach with lobbyists.
It’s time for them to get back to Washington and work to secure our border and reopen the government.
Kellyanne Conway also shamed the Democrats' travel plans. "I know it's not Puerto Rico," Conway said outside the White House, but perhaps Democrats can come back to Washington to negotiate.
Trump is en route to New Orleans for a speech at the Farm Bureau convention. He is expected to address his trade policy.