AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka gave the partial federal government shutdown a new nickname Thursday: The “Trump Mexican Bailout.”
Trumpka’s comment came as President Trump, who had initially claimed that Mexico would be forced to pay for his border wall, is in a stalemate with congressional leaders over the federal budget.
“Let’s call the shutdown what it is: the Trump Mexican Bailout,” the head of the largest labor federation tweeted. “Mexico was never going to pay for the wall that won’t uplift workers anyway. Now Trump’s holding US workers hostage and wants taxpayers to foot the bill. Say no to the #TrumpMexicanBailout.”
Let’s call the shutdown what it is: the Trump Mexican Bailout.
Mexico was never going to pay for the wall that won’t uplift workers anyway. Now Trump’s holding US workers hostage and wants taxpayers to foot the bill. Say no to the #TrumpMexicanBailout
— Richard Trumka (@RichardTrumka) December 27, 2018
Unions have been critical of the shutdown as harmful to government workers, who are heavily unionized, as well as bad for the broader economy.
Approximately a quarter the federal government has been closed since Saturday following a showdown between Trump and Democratic leaders over the federal budget. Trump wants $5 billion for a wall bordering Mexico but the Senate has balked at that, allowing just $1.3 billion and $1.6 billion in funds for both border security and disaster relief aid.
