WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump isn’t curbing journey. He’s not avoiding golf or making do with a skeleton employees within the West Wing. Even hamburgers served on the White Home aren’t from McDonalds, this time.
In shutdowns previous — together with throughout Trump’s first time period — presidents usually scaled again their schedules. With staffers deemed “non-essential” despatched house, the White Home usually sought to look sympathetic to People affected by disruptions to well being care, veterans advantages and different key companies.
The present one has left round 750,000 federal workers furloughed and others working with out pay. Funding for the Supplemental Diet Help Program, or SNAP, is lapsing after Friday.
Nonetheless, it’s been largely enterprise as typical for Trump over the previous 29 days.
“It’s like that nation track: ‘Typically falling looks like flying for a short while,’” mentioned Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to President Invoice Clinton, who presided over two shutdowns between 1995 and 1996. “They appear to be like, ‘To date, so good, man.’”
Ballroom, golf and journeys
Trump is on a six-day swing by way of Asia, after a current, whirlwind Center East go to. He hosted a White Home fundraiser for main donors to his $300 million ballroom that has seen building crews tear down the East Wing, and held one other fundraiser at his Florida property.
Members of the Cupboard have equally hit the street. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Israel, Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem went to Oregon and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth toured TOPGUN, the U.S. Navy’s elite fighter weapons faculty in Nevada.
Solely 32% of employees within the Govt Workplace of the President had been set to be furloughed throughout the present shutdown, in accordance a White Home price range workplace contingency report. That’s down from 61% over the past shutdown in 2018-19, in Trump’s first time period. About half of the Govt Mansion’s staff that features housekeepers, ushers, valets and butlers are at present working. Final time, greater than 70% had been furloughed.
It’s usually been laborious to inform a shutdown is going on with so many staffers remaining at their desks.
“I don’t even know in the event that they’re alleged to be working, however they wouldn’t miss a day,” Trump mentioned throughout an occasion final week.
It’s a departure from Trump’s first time period, when he reduce out golf and canceled a deliberate journey to Florida for Christmas throughout the 2018 shutdown, which stretched into the brand new yr. He made a shock go to to go to troops in Iraq then, however nixed plans to go to the Swiss alps for the World Financial Discussion board.
When internet hosting Clemson College soccer gamers celebrating their NCAA soccer championship, Trump introduced in burgers and fries from McDonald’s and Domino’s pizza due to White Home employees furloughs.
This time, the president had Republican senators over for a lunch that featured burgers, too. However employees made them. “They do nice meals on the White Home,” Trump mentioned.
‘A better strategy’
Some say barreling forward like there’s no shutdown has some political benefits for Trump, permitting him to look presidential whereas avoiding congressional bickering.
“It’s a a lot smarter strategy,” mentioned Marc Quick, chief of employees to former Vice President Mike Pence.
In Trump’s first-term shutdown, he rejected a congressional compromise to pressure the federal government to shut — an try and win funding to wall off the U.S.-Mexico border. Then, he named Pence as lead negotiator to finish the shutdown whereas involving his son-in-law Jared Kushner — creating the visible of them having to go to Capitol Hill.
“The primary go-around, he was fairly clear with cameras rolling: He mentioned he needed the shutdown. He claimed possession,” Quick mentioned. This time? “The White Home has been clear about not proudly owning it.”
Again in 1995, Begala recalled speaking technique with Clinton throughout a sweaty summer time run at Fort McNair in Washington, and telling the president that Republican Home Speaker Newt Gingrich and his get together “assume they will roll you,” forcing cuts to Medicare by threatening a shutdown.
Clinton responded: “‘My favourite film’s ‘Excessive Midday,’” Begala recalled, which means the Western during which a marshal stands as much as outlaws. ”‘They try this — then I simply have a Gary Cooper, Excessive Midday second. That’s simple.’”
When Gingrich later got here to the White Home to barter, Begala mentioned Clinton wouldn’t budge, regardless that some advisers urged him to chop a deal. Voters in the end blamed congressional Republicans greater than the White Home for the federal government closing, and Clinton was simply reelected in 1996.
“That might have actually gone badly for Clinton,” Begala mentioned. “However he did perceive that standing sturdy, and having a Gary Cooper second, could be actually good for him.”
Trump might in all probability discover a method to finish the present shutdown if he needed to prioritize it, mentioned Leon Panetta, who labored to finish previous authorities closures as Clinton’s chief of employees. However Trump’s “consideration is targeted on every little thing however sitting down and getting each events collectively to resolve this situation,” Panetta mentioned.
‘Persevering with to work evening and day’
Throughout the 16-day authorities shutdown of 2013, President Barack Obama scrapped a four-country Asia journey and skipped the Congressional Hispanic Caucus gala. His schedule featured occasions meant to point out the shutdown’s results, together with visiting a Maryland building agency that benefited from the sort of federal loans jeopardized with the federal government shuttered.
In 2019, as that shutdown dragged on, Trump’s White Home officers acknowledged feeling stress to finish it. This time, the administration’s strategy has been responsible the Democrats, whereas signaling that it’s ready to attend — even warning of coming journey delays throughout the Thanksgiving holidays.
“President Trump is constant to work evening and day on behalf of American folks,” mentioned White Home spokesperson Abigail Jackson. “The complete administration, together with the president, will proceed highlighting the employees and households who’re struggling due to the Democrats’ choice to close down the federal government.”
Invoice Daley, a White Home chief of employees to Obama previous to the 2013 shutdown, mentioned Trump isn’t performing like he’s feeling political warmth to reopen the federal government, even earlier than subsequent Tuesday’s gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey — each house to sizable federal workforces.
“My guess is, he thinks it helps him,” Daley mentioned, “till — and I don’t know if it should — the underside falls out.”
Democrats are demanding an extension of expiring tax credit which have helped tens of millions of individuals afford medical health insurance, whereas Republicans say they gained’t negotiate till the federal government is reopened.
Trump has mentioned the shutdown should finish, but additionally used it to chop federal positions and goal packages Democrats favor, whereas redirecting funds to his personal priorities — like protecting navy paychecks. The president has even mentioned of closed museums, “We must always in all probability simply open them.”
People, in the meantime, are divided on who’s responsible.
Roughly 6 in 10 say Trump and congressional Republicans have “an awesome deal” or “fairly a bit” of duty for the shutdown, whereas 54% say the identical about Democrats in Congress, in keeping with a current ballot from The Related Press-NORC Heart for Public Affairs Analysis.
Mike McCurry, a White Home press secretary beneath Clinton, mentioned Democrats have but to choose a transparent shutdown message that has resonated. Trump has the presidency to ship his take, however McCurry famous he has been “mercurial.”
“It’s not doubtless we’re going to have clear winners or losers after this,” McCurry mentioned. “It’s going to be a little bit of a muddle.”
