Stark retreat for Republicans on spending, Trump's wall

A woman holding a baby peers through the US border fence in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico. Photo / AP file

The US Senate prepared today to pass a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open through to the New Year but deny President Donald Trump the money he wanted for his border wall - a stark retreat for Republicans in their final days in control of Congress.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the deal on the Senate floor to extend government funding through to February 8, when Democrats will be in control of the House. Minority Leader Charles Schumer said Democrats would support it.

The outcome would temporarily break an impasse that threatened to close large portions of the government this weekend and send hundreds of thousands of federal workers home without pay just before Christmas.

Trump has signalled his support for the plan but "can change his mind if he wants to," said Senator John Cornyn, R, the No. 2 Senate Republican. A senior White House aide said the plan is for Trump to sign the legislation McConnell is introducing.

That would represent a major defeat for Trump on his signature issue, the US-Mexico border wall he long insisted Mexico would pay for but has demanded US$5 billion in taxpayer money to fund. And it's an abandonment of his stance from a week ago, when he claimed he would be "proud" to shut down the government to get his wall money.

Trump has oftened changed his mind or threatened to veto bills at the last minute, so a shutdown is still possible.

Trump continued to assert over Twitter that the wall would be built, insisting Mexico would pay for it via the renegotiated North America trade deal and that the military would build it.

The legality of such an approach is in question, and Schumer insisted Democrats would not let it happen. It's also unclear how the trade deal would mean Mexico is paying for the wall.

McConnell blamed the outcome on Democrats after they turned down a GOP offer yesterday that would have provided US$1.6 billion for border barriers and another US$1 billion for Trump to spend on other immigration priorities.

White House strategy on shutdown appears to be repeating that the president "is not going to back down" as he, in fact, backs down.

— Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) December 19, 2018

Fox News hosts comment on Pelosi's "stunning" outmaneuvering of Trump over border wall, government shutdown https://t.co/xtz2GQJMqx pic.twitter.com/ssUd6Ox90r

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) December 19, 2018

In our Country, so much money has been poured down the drain, for so many years, but when it comes to Border Security and the Military, the Democrats fight to the death. We won on the Military, which is being completely rebuilt. One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018

"Faced with this intransigence - with Democrats' failure to take our borders seriously - Republicans will continue to fulfill our duty to govern," McConnell said. "That's why we will soon take up a simple measure that will continue government funding into February: So we can continue this vital debate after the new Congress has convened."

Schumer spoke on the floor shortly thereafter, saying: "I'm glad the leader thinks the government should not shut down over the President's demands for a wall, and Democrats will support this CR." A CR is a "continuing resolution" extending government funding.

The Senate could pass the measure as soon as today and the House by tomorrow, marking a humbling end to the 115th Congress and two years of unified GOP control of Washington. About 25 per cent of government funding would run out on Saturday absent action by Congress and Trump.

"One way or the other, we will win on the Wall!" Trump said in a morning tweet. In another, he sought to make the case that because of "large scale criminal and drug inflow" the military would be justified in building a border wall.

Just last week, Trump told Democratic congressional leaders that he'd be "proud" to shut down the government to get his wall money. But in recent days, Democrats have held firm against his demand, and Republicans have appeared increasingly eager to avoid a partial shutdown heading into the Christmas holiday.