Donald Trump vowed to shut down the federal government Friday night if Senate Democrats don’t back a spending bill that includes funding for his pet project: the border wall with Mexico. The president urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to “use the Nuclear option and get it done!”—suspending the body’s 60-vote rule to close debate to allow a vote. The House of Representatives passed a government-funding bill Thursday night that includes more than $5 billion for border security. However, it’s almost certain to fail when it heads to the Senate today. The president dedicated his morning to sending nine tweets on the matter. A shutdown would take effect at midnight. “The Democrats are trying to belittle the concept of a Wall, calling it old fashioned,” wrote the president. “The fact is there is nothing else’s that will work, and that has been true for thousands of years. It’s like the wheel, there is nothing better. I know tech better than anyone,” claimed the 72-year-old. He went on: “The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED. If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time.” Later on Friday, Trump told reporters the shutdown is “totally up to the Democrats” and said the chances for one are “probably very good.”
