President Trump offered a combative New Year’s message on Tuesday, mocking critics of his whiplash governing style.
“HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY!” Trump wrote in a Twitter post kicking off the latter half of his first term in office.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
The president later issued a more traditional message, tweeting simply “Happy New Year!”
In a subsequent post, he continued to blame Democrats for a partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22, complaining that they have refused to allocate money for his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security – and our Country must finally have a Strong and Secure Southern Border!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
House Democrats, set to take power on Thursday, introduced a proposal Monday to reopen the government without funding for the barrier. Trump had promised during his 2016 campaign that Mexico would pay for a border wall. In an early December meeting with Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the president said he’d be “proud” to shut down the government over wall funding and wouldn’t blame Democrats.
On their first day controlling the House, Democrats plan to bring to the floor spending bills funding nearly all federal agencies through September, the end of the fiscal year. Separately, they will introduce a bill extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security only through Feb. 8, without money for a wall. The shorter expiration date allows for further debate over immigration policy.
Trump has asked for $5 billion in funding for the wall, more than the $1.3 billion allocated for border security in the Democrats’ plan.
