WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump made a televised plea for border wall funding Tuesday night, seeking an edge in the shutdown battle with congressional Democrats as he declared there is "a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."
Video of the address is available above.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued for funding on security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid an extended partial government shutdown.
Trump called on Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing."
Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But critics say the security risks are overblown and his administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.
Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to circumvent Congress and move forward with the wall. But he made no mention of such a declaration Tuesday night.
Democrats have vowed to block funding for a wall, which they say would be immoral and ineffective, and have called on Trump to reopen shuttered portions of the government while border negotiations continue.
The full Democratic response available below:
Congressman Dan Kildee statement on address:
“The President manufactured a crisis 18 days ago and plunged our country into a government shutdown. Tonight, the President proved he does not care about pulling us out of the mess he created. It is shameful that the President is using our nation’s public servants, including thousands of workers in Michigan, as pawns in a political game.
Democrats support smart, effective border security and budget bills that immediately reopen government. The President should negotiate with Democrats, not pander to his political base.”
Congressman Andy Levin response:
“Tonight, President Trump went on television to try to justify his decision to shut down our government, thrust working families into financial instability, and plunge our country into political chaos. President Trump wants people to believe that our country is in crisis. It is, but not for the reason he claims.
It’s in crisis because more than 5,000 federal workers in Michigan are furloughed or working without pay, and because the President insists on using their paychecks as political bargaining chips. It’s in crisis because, with no end in sight, this shutdown could result in delayed or frozen tax returns that families count on to pay their bills. It’s in crisis because the EPA has halted inspections at our drinking water systems. It’s in crisis because our President has said he is prepared to prolong this shutdown for years if he does not get his way.
The President is wrong, and every day that he drags out this shutdown, he does greater harm to the most vulnerable Americans. President Trump needs to end his shutdown now.”
Republican National Committee statement:
"Tonight, Americans saw their president fighting for a solution to fund our government while protecting American citizens, versus the approach of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer which is to resist, resist, resist at all costs," said Chairwoman McDaniel. "It wasn’t always this way. President Trump is simply asking Democrats to support border security policies they all supported just a few short years ago. It’s time for Democrats to put down their swords and work with President Trump."
Congresswoman Tlaib’s statement:
“Our residents at home that are struggling with the government shutdown lost again tonight. President Trump needs to stop lying to the American people and making up a crisis. He continues to play political games with real people's lives. The true crisis is that federal workers are still working without pay, service organizations who rely on government funding can't help our most vulnerable, and that American people don't have a functioning and open government.
The House of Representatives did our job on the first day of the 116th Congress, by voting to send bi-partisan legislation to the United States Senate – legislation that Senate Republicans passed before the new Congress started – to re-open the government. Now it’s time for Mitch McConnell and the President to do theirs. Stop the falsehoods and misinformation. Move to re-open the government immediately.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich statement:
"The President and the Democrats need to learn how to compromise and put the American people first. It starts with the President putting the country ahead of his politics and being more flexible with his goals. People are going to start hurting from the government shutdown because of partisan politics. We need comprehensive immigration reform including a guest worker program, and an economic and security program that will allow people to stay in their home country where they can be more prosperous. It must deal with the humanitarian crisis and secure the border. Border security is important, but both sides should be willing to negotiate on how we do it. Our country needs real leadership to solve our problems. Right now it doesn’t look like that leadership exists in Washington, DC."