On what is now the 19th day of a partial government shutdown caused by disagreement over the wall, President Trump told reporters at the White House he may move forward in a “different manner” if Republicans and Democrats cannot work together to resolve the funding standoff. However, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats plan to advance a bill to immediately reopen the Treasury Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission and several other agencies that have been partially shut down since December 22. Follow live updates on the situation here, all times in GMT, which is five hours ahead of Washington DC.
8.03pm update: How many are affected by the shutdown?
The current shutdown is in its nineteenth day, which makes it the longest to happen since 1995.
This closure is affecting nearly 800,000 federal employees,including FBI agents and TSA agents who aren’t being paid.
Should the shutdown continue much longer, there are questions as to whether 40 million Americans will be able to afford food and whether those in subsidised housing will be able to pay their rent.
7.30pm update: Trump calls his party ‘unified’ as he leaves the Senate Republican lunch
Trump stated that we have a “very unified party” as he left the Senate Republican lunch.
He added that a couple of his party spoke about different strategeies “but they’re with us all the way”.
7.14pm update: Trump’s statements today on the shutdown
Trump today detailed his necessities for declaring a national emergency, stating the “threshold” is whether he and Congress are able to make a deal on wall funding.
“I think we might work a deal, and if we don’t, we might go that route,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
He also asserted he has the “absolute right” to declare an emergency.
6.47pm update: Governor for North Carolina calls on Trump to end the shutdown
Democrat and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper wrote a letter to Trump on Wednesday pleading with him to end the shutdown.
He argued that it is preventing the state’s recovery efforts after Hurricane Florence and threatening North Carolina’s agricultural industry.
6.28pm update: Trump and Vice President Mike Pence arrived on Capitol Hill earlier today
Both motorcades of Trump and Vice President Pence arrived on Capitol Hill, and the two men climbedthe stairs into the Senate side of the building.
The two men are scheduled to join Republican senators for a weekly policy lunch before returning to the White House to host congressional leaders from both parties.
As he walked inside, Trump was questioned by a reporter how long he would let the shutdown last.
“Whatever it takes,” he responded.