Trump talks government shutdown as Congress votes on spending bill

Carlos Barria | Reuters

President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, September 26, 2018. 

President Donald Trump just calmed fears about a government shutdown, for the moment.

“We’ll keep the government open. We’re going to keep the government open,” he told reporters Wednesday during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the United Nations General Assembly.

The House is set to approve a proposal later Wednesday that would fund the Defense Department and a few other agencies for a year, along with a short-term funding measure for the rest of the government. The Senate already passed it, so it would go to the president’s desk with days to spare before funding lapses at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday.

In recent weeks, Trump raised concerns that he would veto the legislation due to frustration that it does not fund his proposed border wall. Last week, he called the bill “ridiculous” and urged Republicans to “GET TOUGH!”

Trump tweet

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan oppose letting the government shut down and want to address border wall funding after November’s midterm elections. Earlier in the day, Ryan said Trump told him he would sign the spending bill.