Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.
In today’s edition, Sahil Kapur dives into the latest disconnect between President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. Plus, Lawrence Hurley reports on the oral arguments in a Supreme Court case that could have significant midterm implications.
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— Adam Wollner
Trump puts Republicans in a bind on the DHS shutdown
Analysis by Sahil Kapur
President Donald Trump rejected an off-ramp to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown and instead called on congressional Republicans to refuse any deal with Democrats unless they agree to pass the SAVE America Act, his sweeping bill to overhaul elections nationwide.
Trump initially made the demand last night on Truth Social and doubled down on it today in Memphis.
“You don’t have to take a fast vote. Don’t worry about Easter, going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus. OK, make this one for Jesus,” Trump said, referring to the scheduled upcoming congressional recess.
“The most important part of homeland security is voter ID and proof of citizenship,” he added, pointing to two of the main planks of the SAVE America Act. “Nobody can vote on homeland security without voter ID or proof of citizenship.”
His theory boils down to pairing one bill that Democrats oppose (a DHS funding measure without restrictions on immigration enforcement) with another bill that Democrats oppose (the SAVE America Act) — and hoping that prompts Democrats to cave and support both items.
Not surprisingly, Trump’s proposition quickly fell flat on Capitol Hill — among both parties.
“I think you all know that’s not realistic,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters this afternoon when asked about Trump’s strategy to tie the two bills together.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., put it this way: “I agree with the goal, the objective, but it’s much easier said than done.”
And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the idea “ridiculous” and “callous,” labeling it a “temper tantrum” by Trump.
“He doesn’t give a damn about the American people. He cares about his own election. He thinks the SAVE Act, which isn’t going to pass, will change how the election comes out,” Schumer said on the floor. “And he uses millions and millions of Americans as hostages. How can our Republican friends on the other side of the aisle go along with this? It stinks on its face.”
The bottom line: It takes 60 votes in the Senate to pass DHS funding, as well as the SAVE America Act. Neither one has the votes, and Trump’s gambit has probably pushed Congress further away from agreement on reopening DHS than it was 24 hours ago, when there was at least a regular line of communication between the White House — with border czar Tom Homan visiting the Capitol for bipartisan meetings.
Trump’s comments illustrate how eager he is to pass his election bill, which he has labeled his No. 1 priority. But it has given Democrats an opening to try and pin blame on him for the DHS shutdown and airport chaos that has gradually gotten worse.
The off-ramp that some Republicans support would essentially embrace the Democratic offer to fund TSA and the noncontroversial agencies within DHS, while saving ICE for a separate bill. The Republicans who favor this idea say they can pass an ICE funding bill on their own through the filibuster-proof “reconciliation” process, while cutting out Democrats and refusing their demands.
But at least for the time being, Trump’s latest demand puts that strategy in limbo.
