Pence: Govt Shutdown Not 'a Mistake,' Proves Trump is 'Determined' to Build Wall
Vice President says federal closures were evidence President will keep his word
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Vice President Mike Pence says the partial government shutdown was not a 'mistake' instead it proved President Donald Trump's determination to keep his word on building the wall.
Speaking with CBS News' Jeff Glor following Trump's State of the Union Speech, Pence was asked if it was 'mistake' to shut down the federal government for 35 days.
"I never think it's a mistake to stand up for what you believe in," Pence told CBS News.
"And I think what the American people admire most about this president is he says what he means, and he means what he says, in a very real sense."
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Pence insisted the federal closure was proof that Trump will do everything in his power to keep the promises he made in his 2016 campaign, one of which was to build a wall along the United States' border to stop illegal immigration.
"He said there was a crisis at our southern border, he said he was determined to get the funding to build a wall and secure our border, and he was willing to take a stand to accomplish that," Pence asserted.
Last month, President announced he would sign legislation to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations for the wall funding take place.
Last Friday, Trump said there was a “good chance” he would declare a national emergency to have the wall constructed.
“I think there’s a good chance we’ll have to do that,” Trump referring to the emergency declaration.
Trump was speaking on the subject of human trafficking during an event at the White House.
As I said on @CBSThisMorning, there’s a crisis at our Southern Border, and the American people see that @POTUS is absolutely determined to keep his word to secure our border and END the crisis of illegal immigration. pic.twitter.com/Op0J5SpiMu
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 6, 2019
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The President offered the Democrats three years of protections for two groups of migrants, but they are still refusing to budge on the wall.
DHS and other agencies will go into default again on Feb. 15 if a consensus is not reached.
But Pence did not rule out another shutdown.
"Now, we agreed to reopen the government for three weeks, because after talking to Democrat rank and file members of the Senate and of the House, we were told they were willing to work with us," Pence said Wednesday.
"They were willing to fund a barrier at our southern border and to address the other priorities that the president laid out in that common sense approach."
"We've taken them at their word, but the American people saw this president is absolutely determined to keep his word to secure our border and end the crisis of illegal immigration," he added.
Glor then question Pence on Trump's warning shot to Democrats over “ridiculous partisan investigations” referring to the Mueller investigation, which would harm economic progress.
"Look, congressional oversight is a part of the checks and balances of our system," the former Indiana congressman said.
Pence stated that Trump was referring particularly to probes that are driven by backbiting and not facts.
"What the president referred to last night was partisan investigations," he replied.
"And, you know, you've spoken about the president, you know his feelings about, about investigations on Capitol Hill."
"We don't object to oversight, that's the proper role of committees in Congress. But, when it takes on a partisan tint, when it when it seems more intent on becoming a forum for invective against the president and the administration, the American people expect better," Pence said.
The American people want to see the Congress addressing the issues that the president laid out last night.
"And the president laid out a positive agenda for a growing American economy, for a stronger military, for an America that's addressing real challenges that are facing American families -- that's what the American people want our Congress focused on."
