“Well, we may do a lot, and that’s only because of the Democrats,” Trump said when asked how many federal workers he plans to lay off in the event of a shutdown.
Trump also blamed Democrats for illegal immigration, repeating his arguments that Democrats want to give health care benefits to migrants.
Trump has sought to make this debate central to the shutdown fight, though the only demands from Democrats have been centered on an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act benefits to U.S. citizens that are set to expire at year’s end.
“As you know, they want to be able to take care of people that are coming to our country illegally, and no system can handle that,” Trump said.
“Our country can’t handle people who come into our country illegally, and they want to give them full health care benefits. They want to open the wall again, can you believe it? I can’t even believe it.”
The White House also warned Monday that government layoffs are coming if Democrats don’t prevent a shutdown, days after Trump’s budget office directed agencies to prepare for mass firings.
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