President Donald Trump has placed responsibility for the partial government shutdown squarely on Democrats as negotiations over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding remain stalled.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump also highlighted his major policy successes on inflation, fuel costs, and crime.
Trump pointed to improving economic indicators and falling energy prices as evidence that his administration is reversing the damage left behind by the previous administration.
“Great financial numbers, you saw low inflation, very low inflation,” Trump said.
“Prices are down. Way down.
“Gasoline is less than $2 a gallon in many places, which nobody expected to see.
“But I did this going by the initial expression of drill, baby, drill.
“Prices are coming down very strongly,” he continued.
“And as goes gasoline and oil and gas, so goes the rest of other products that are high …
“We inherited a mess, and we’ve brought our country back.”
Trump: Shutdown Is a “Democrat Shutdown”
Addressing the ongoing funding standoff over DHS, Trump made clear he views Democrats as solely responsible for the shutdown.
“This is a Democrat shutdown,” the president declared.
“This has nothing to do with Republicans, and Democrats shut down.
“They’re upset that the crime numbers are so good.
“They’re very unhappy that there’s a movement,” he said.
Democrats have pushed for stricter oversight and reforms targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement following last month’s fatal shootings of two anti-ICE agitators by federal agents in Minneapolis.
However, Republicans have resisted these demands as they seek full funding for border enforcement and immigration operations.
Clash Over Voter ID and Citizenship Verification
Trump also tied the funding dispute to broader election integrity battles.
He noted that Democrats oppose basic safeguards such as voter identification and proof of citizenship requirements.
Democrats have aggressively blocked such measures, despite overwhelming support for voter ID from all American voters.
Trump warns that Democrat lawmakers, not voters, oppose the safeguards because “they want to cheat in elections.”
Referencing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act passed by the House, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voting, the president said:
“They don’t want voter ID because they want to cheat in elections.
“They don’t want Mail-In ballots.
“They want to end mail-in ballots, and one other thing that [Republicans] are insisting on is proof of citizenship.
“And the Democrats don’t want to give proof of citizenship.
“They don’t want to give voter ID,” he added.
Willing to Negotiate, But Emphasizes Law Enforcement Support
Despite the stalemate, Trump said he remains open to negotiations to end the shutdown, while stressing that any agreement must protect federal law enforcement and immigration officers.
“We have to protect our law enforcement,” he said, adding that immigration officers have “done a great job” removing “criminals that were brought in.”
The president also confirmed he intends to deliver his scheduled State of the Union address next week, even if the shutdown continues.
READ MORE – Democrats Appear to Snub Bill Clinton in Presidents’ Day Post
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.