Source: ALEX EDELMAN / Getty
Today, after 35 days of the government being shutdown and 800,000 people missing their paychecks, President Trump announced that he was reopening the government for three weeks. According to The New York Times, during that time, he and the Democrats will continue discussing the issue of the $5.7 million border wall.
The temporary end to the shut down will allow Congress to sign bills to restore normal operations for federal workers until February 15, when it is set to close again, according to Trump’s timeline.
During his press conference in the Rose Garden, Trump said, “We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on February 15, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency.”
This temporary halt to the shutdown will allow Trump to bypass Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s mandate that he would not be able to deliver a State of the Union Address if the government in the House chamber, where it is typically delivered if the government remained closed.
Trump promised that the workers would be paid for the past 35 days. “I will make sure that all employees receive their back pay very quickly or as soon as possible. It will happen fast.”
You can watch his full speech in the video below.
People assumed that the announcement came not because Trump cares about the federal workers who haven’t been paid since late December. Instead, there are a few other theories about why he did it at this time. See what these theories are and the general reaction to the announcement on the following pages.
