President Trump said Monday he is prepared to partially shutter the federal government at the end of September if Congress fails to secure adequate border security funding in its next spending package, following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte that largely focused on immigration.
“Personally, if we don’t get border security, after many many years of talk within the U.S., I would have no problem having a shutdown,” Trump said at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart.
He added, “We’re the laughing stock of the world. We have the worst immigration laws in the history of the world.”
Trump said he would “always leave room for negotiation” on border security funding, but emphasized the need for increased resources and improved infrastructure at the Southwest border.
“We need border security. Border security includes the wall, but it includes many other things. We have to end the [visa] lottery, we have to end the chain. We have to end these horrible catch-and-release principles,” he continued. “So I would certainly be willing to close it down to get it done.”
The two like-minded leaders were scheduled to discuss trade, immigration, and shared security interests during their meeting on Monday – the first trip Conte has made to Washington since becoming the head of a coalition government in Rome.
His visit comes just weeks after they met on the sidelines of a tense NATO summit in Brussels, where the president found himself navigating tough conversations with other European leaders about trade and defense spending.
Trump has repeatedly praised Conte for his tough stance on immigration and Italy’s acceptance of refugees.
“Our countries have learned through hard lessons that border security is national security. They are one in the same,” Trump said Monday.
