Trump economists acknowledge shutdown drag on economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — With shutdown negotiations deadlocked, the White House planned further meetings with rank-and-file lawmakers today, as the Trump administration acknowledged the prolonged standoff over his border wall funding demands is having a greater economic drag than previously thought.

President Donald Trump has invited a bipartisan group of lawmakers known as the Problem Solvers caucus to talks, but it was far from clear the session would yield a breakthrough on the shutdown's 26th day.

The president's economists, meanwhile, said the shutdown was having a greater impact than previously projected.

In a call with reporters, White House Council of Economic Advisers chairman Kevin Hassett said Tuesday the shutdown is reducing economic growth more than predicted. He said the "hope is this resolves quickly and that it won't have a major impact on the long-run outlook, even though it does have a major impact on individual lives."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday that the economy remained strong.

"I know there has been some impact, but at the same time we're focused on the long term economic principles the president has laid out," she said.

The House and Senate have announced they will cancel an upcoming recess week if the shutdown continued, which seemed likely.

Trump has not moved off his demand to have Congress provide $5.7 billion to build his promised border wall with Mexico. Democrats say they will discuss border security once the government has reopened, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is refusing money for the wall they view as ineffective and immoral.

The president, on a conference call with supporters, showed no signs of backing down.

"We're going to stay out for a long time, if we have to," Trump said. "We'll be out for a long time."