Trump upset Democrats made him look bad in spending deal
— -- Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney defended President Trump's tweets this morning calling for a "good shutdown" in September and said the president was "frustrated" by Democrats claiming victory over the government funding bill.
“What you heard the president express this morning was frustration over how he was treated as part of the negotiations," Mulvaney said during a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday.
“I think the president is frustrated with the fact that he negotiated in good faith with the Democrats and they went out to try to spike the football and make him look bad," Mulvaney said. "I get that frustration because I think it is a terrible posture for the Democrats to take."
Mulvaney also accused Democrats of wanting a shutdown because “they were desperate to make this administration look like we could not function.”
He added that a "good shutdown" is one that "fixes this town," referring to Washington's dysfunction.
Mulvaney added, "We've got a lot to do between now and September. I don't anticipate a shutdown in September. But if negotiations -- if the Democrats are not going to behave any better than they have the last couple days, it may be inevitable.”
Trump this morning touted his administration’s political victory on the spending bill in a ceremony originally scheduled to honor the Air Force Academy football team.
"After years of partisan bickering and gridlock, this bill is a clear win for the American people," Trump said from the White House Rose Garden as a group of Air Force cadets stood behind him.
"We brought lawmakers together from both sides of the aisle to deliver a budget that funds the rebuilding of the United States military, makes historic investments in border security and provides health care for our miners and school choice for our disadvantaged children," the president said of the deal, which was reached by Congress late Sunday night.
The $1 trillion spending bill, which will keep the government running through September, does not include funds for a wall on the border with Mexico, one of Trump's key agenda items. But the bill does include a $15 billion increase in funding for the military and $1.5 billion more dedicated to border security.
"We achieved the single largest increase in border security funding in 10 years. So we have more money now for the border than we've gotten in 10 years," Trump said. "The Democrats didn't tell you that."
The House and Senate still need to vote on the bill.
Trump earlier threatened to force a government shutdown, tweeting: "Our country needs a good 'shutdown' in September to fix mess!"
In the wake of the president's comments, House Speaker Paul Ryan also defended the government spending deal.
"Look, we have a long ways to go between now and September, but I share the president's frustration," Ryan said today in a press conference on Capitol Hill with other House GOP leaders. "I feel good about the wins we got with the administration in this bill."
