President Trump slammed Democrats for holding defense funding “hostage” amid rising tensions with a belligerent North Korea.
“North Korea missile launch, it’s more important than ever to fund our gov’t & military! Dems shouldn’t hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can’t now threaten a shutdown to get their demands.”
After North Korea missile launch, it’s more important than ever to fund our gov’t & military! Dems shouldn’t hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can’t now threaten a shutdown to get their demands.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017
Trump’s tweet came hours after the most recent missile test from North Korea, which U.S. officials believe was an intercontinental ballistic missile.
That happened as the U.S. once again faces the prospect of a government shutdown as Trump remains at odds with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., over an end-of-the-year funding deal.
The two Democrats canceled a meeting with Trump after he tweeted that he did not see a way on a deal that would prevent a government shutdown.
The Democrats also said they will not get behind a year-end funding deal that doesn’t include legal protections for young, undocumented immigrants previously covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, Program.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in September DACA would be rolled back under the Trump administration within six months, granting Congress time to pass legislation.
Former President Barack Obama established DACA in 2012 through an executive order, and it applies to approximately 800,000 illegal immigrants ages 15-36 who arrived in the U.S. as minors, protecting them from deportation.
