Trump supports spending deal, but shutdown still looms

On Thursday, President Donald Trump endorsed a bipartisan agreement on government funding negotiated by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. The aim is to prevent the federal government from shutting down after midnight on Friday.

However, the agreement has not yet been approved by the House of Representatives, which means that a partial shutdown could occur over the weekend.

The financing of the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy remain contentious issues. Democrats are demanding restrictions on the powers of immigration agents, especially after recent interventions in which two American citizens were shot dead in Minneapolis.

In response, an exception was agreed upon—the department would receive only a two-week budget extension to allow room for further negotiations.

The Senate postponed the negotiations until Friday. Trump also called for support for the proposal from both sides of the political spectrum. If the bill is not passed in time, there is a risk of funding being cut off for agencies such as the Pentagon and the Department of Health and Human Services.

(reuters, max)