WATCH: Trump Threatens Irreversible Actions if Democrats Force Government Shutdown
President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday that if Democrats force a government shutdown, his administration will take “irreversible” steps to advance its agenda.
“The last person that wants it shut down is us,” Trump said. “Now, with that being said, we can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them—like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”
Trump emphasized that Democrats are “taking a risk by having a shutdown,” noting his administration’s focus on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.
According to The Gateway Pundit, the government is set to shut down tonight after Democrats refused to support a stopgap funding bill unless it included $1.5 trillion in new spending, including funding for healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants and sex reassignment procedures for minors.
During the press availability, Breitbart reporter Nick Gilbertson asked the President about the Democrats’ strategy.
“What does it say about the state of the Democrat party when they have a 33% favorability rating on average in recent months, and they’re willing to shut down the government over healthcare for illegals?” Gilbertson asked.
“They are shutting it down. We’re not shutting it down. We don’t want it to shut down because we have the greatest period of time ever. I told you, we have $17 trillion being invested,” Trump replied. He reiterated that a shutdown would allow his administration to cut wasteful programs and pursue long-term reforms, though he stressed that Republicans are not seeking one.
Trump also said Democrats’ push for taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants is unacceptable. “That’s, I would say, the number one reason that they want to strike—to get illegal immigrants health care,” he said. “We can’t have that. We’re not gonna have that.”
Separately, President Trump announced that his administration reached a deal with Pfizer to provide Americans with prescription drugs at heavily discounted, most-favored-nation prices. Under the agreement, many of Pfizer’s brand-name medications will now be discounted by as much as 80%.
This follows an executive order Trump signed in May directing the Department of Health and Human Services, the Commerce Department, and the U.S. Trade Representative to pursue aggressive measures to lower prescription drug costs for Americans.
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