Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) touted the bipartisan agreement to temporarily reopen the government on Friday — while saying he hopes President Trump won’t make the same mistake in the future.
“Hopefully it means a lesson has been learned. Shutting down government over a policy difference is self-defeating,” Schumer said on the Senate floor shortly after Trump announced the deal to reopen the government for three weeks. “We can never hold American workers hostage again.”
Trump didn’t sound like a chastened man on Friday, talking up his long-demanded border wall while threatening another shutdown if he doesn’t get his way.
“We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, either the government will shut down on Feb. 15 again, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency,” Trump warned in his speech.
But Trump was forced to back down this time. And after his bullying strategy failed, it’s unclear why he’d think the same approach would be more effective in the next three weeks.
