BORDER/CONGRESS/GOVERNMENT/SPENDING/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “President Donald Trump said on Wednesday [9-5-18] he would be willing to shut down the U.S. government if Congress does not provide enough funding for border security, reversing a stance he took a day earlier. Trump made his comments at a meeting with congressional Republican leaders at the White House about the legislative agenda for the next few months, including extending government funding past a Sept. 30 deadline. He said Congress was making ‘tremendous progress’ on funding, but that he wanted to make good on a promise to fund border security. Trump has repeatedly threatened not to sign funding legislation if Congress fails to include enough money for a wall on the border with Mexico. Trump reiterated that threat on Wednesday. Responding to a reporter’s question about a possible shutdown, he said: ‘If it happens, it happens. If it’s about border security, I’m willing to do anything. We have to protect our borders.’”
–Susan Cornwell, Roberta Rampton, “In quick reversal, Trump threatens shutdown over border wall,” Reuters, September 5, 2018 7:12 am