CRISIS OVER THE BORDER: President Trump is mounting a full-scale public relations battle to convince the American people a bigger, better, border barrier is fundamental to the country’s national security. He argues further Democrats stubbornly refusing to fund a vital project are responsible for the partial government shutdown, now in its third week.

For a preview of the argument Trump is likely to make tonight in his 9 p.m. prime time televised Oval Office address, look no further than the letter the president sent to Congress last Friday. “A nation that fails to control its borders cannot fulfill its most basic obligations to its citizens — physical safety, economic security, essential public services, and the uniform protection of our laws,” Trump wrote, citing statistics that were prepared for a presentation to Democrats by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.