President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that he plans to take a “hard look” at the emerging DHS funding deal but that he is unlikely to be “happy” with any agreement Republicans strike with Democrats.
It was the first time the president has weighed in publicly on the brewing agreement to fund the agency, as the White House signaled earlier Tuesday that the yet-to-be-finalized solution “seems to be acceptable.” A White House official cautioned that talks are ongoing to fund DHS more than five weeks after money lapsed.
“Well I’m going to look at it, and we’re gonna take a good hard look at it. I want to support Republicans. Sometimes it’s awfully hard to get votes when you have Democrats that don’t want to have voter ID, they don’t want to have proof of citizenship, they don’t want to do anything about men playing in women’s sports,” the president said from the Oval Office after Markwayne Mullin was sworn in to lead DHS.
The president also said he didn’t want to comment on the deal until he reviews it, adding that “they are getting fairly close. But I think any deal they make, I’m pretty much not happy with it.”
Trump’s comments leave room for him to ultimately reject or support the emerging framework. Conservatives, who are skeptical of the potential agreement because it leaves out parts of ICE, are strategizing behind the scenes, according to three people with knowledge of their efforts granted anonymity to discuss them. Senate Republicans, in particular, are bracing for their right flank to try to get in Trump’s ear to tank the deal or demand changes, two of the people said.
And House GOP leadership is privately panning the forming agreement, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter. Some members argue it kills their leverage to force Democrats to fully fund DHS — and risks leaving them with a GOP revolt.
Speaker Mike Johnson, asked if he supported the forming deal in a brief interview Tuesday leaving the Capitol, replied: “I haven’t seen the details.”
Asked if it could get through the House, Johnson said: “Stay tuned.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told reporters he hadn’t seen details of the forming deal yet but argued Democrats should fully fund DHS. He also declined to say whether the possible deal to leave out some ICE enforcement money could pass the House amid a GOP hard-liner rebellion.
“Those that are contorting themselves to do this, it’s just beyond stupid,” House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast (R-Fla.) said. “Just fund DHS, right?”
House GOP leaders are planning to hold a third vote on the stalled DHS funding bill that fully funds ICE on Thursday in an attempt to pressure Democrats.
Republican senators met with the president at the White House late Monday after he publicly rejected DHS funding without the SAVE America Act alongside it. The senators left the White House and began working on the framework, which includes an effort to pass some portions of the SAVE America Act through reconciliation.
Mullin said in the Oval Office that Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is “committed to making sure we get reconciliation through.”
“Because there’s nothing more important than the SAVE America Act,” Mullin said. “I mean, that’s what the American people want.”
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