BORDER/GOVERNMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump signaled optimism Thursday [2-7-19] about the progress of congressional talks on border security, just a week after telling Republicans they were wasting their time trying to negotiate a deal with Democrats…Trump’s remarks are the latest sign that negotiations are progressing as lawmakers try to hammer out a deal before a Feb. 15 deadline to avert another government shutdown. Earlier Thursday, a key Republican senator involved in the ongoing negotiations said Trump might be willing to sign a compromise to help avoid a shutdown. Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a member of the conference committee negotiating a compromise on border security, met with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House Thursday. Afterward, Shelby told reporters Trump seemed open to signing a compromise on border security.”
–Michael Collins and Eliza Collins, “President Donald Trump shifts, signals optimism on government funding, border talks,” USA Today, February 7, 2019 3:04 pm