Trump signs deal to temporarily end longest US shutdown

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ Succumbing to political pressure, United States President Donald Trump has backed a deal to temporarily end the record-breaking government shutdown in America’s history despite getting no funding for his controversial plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. The deal resolved the crippling 35-day closure but not the fight over his proposed border wall.

Trump is demanding USD 5.7 billion of funding to build the wall, but the Democrats have refused. Trump previously vowed to reject any deal unless it included funding for his signature campaign pledge. The deal reached on Friday funds the government for three weeks, until February 15, while lawmakers try to reach a wider deal on immigration.

Both the House and Senate passed the plan by voice vote on Friday. The White House later confirmed Trump had signed it into law. Announcing the pact in a speech from the Rose Garden, Trump said he would start negotiations between the House and Senate over a full-year bill funding the Homeland Security Department, which oversees the border.