Trump: Don't look for end to shutdown anytime soon

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump held out little hope Sunday that another round of talks between top aides and congressional staff would produce meaningful progress toward ending the partial government shutdown, seeming to undercut his team by saying he needed to deal directly with Democratic leaders.

"Ultimately, it's going to be solved by the principals," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for staff meetings at Camp David as the shutdown headed into its third week. A second round of discussions between administration officials and Capitol Hill aides began in the afternoon, according to Vice President Mike Pence.

"I don't expect to have anything happen at that meeting," said Trump about the talks led by Pence on the impasse over money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. "But I think we're going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday."

Pressure was mounting Sunday on Capitol Hill for a resolution to the standoff. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up bills the Democratic-led House will start sending over to re-open the government.

"Let's get those reopened while the negotiations continue," Collins said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Collins who has long argued against shutdowns and tried to broker resolutions to past stalemates is one of several senators voicing discomfort with the prolonged closure.

But Trump showed no signs of budging in his demand for $5.6 billion for the wall, which Democrats have refused to grant. Trump suggested Sunday that he, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer could find compromise "in 20 minutes, if they want to. If they don't want to, it's going to go on for a long time."