The Great Negotiator...

Well he signed it. Here's the lowdown.

Trump says he's signed $1.3 trillion spending bill into law despite being 'unhappy' about it

• Trump says he signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill into law despite a veto threat.
• The about-face on a possible veto came a day after White House officials had said Trump would sign the legislation despite his misgivings.
• Trump is irked about the immigration proposals included in the legislation.

Jacob Pramuk | @jacobpramuk
Published 5 Hours Ago Updated 2 Mins AgoCNBC.com


Trump threatens to veto omnibus spending bill over DACA and the border wall 2 Hours Ago | 00:52
President Donald Trump said he signed the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill into law Friday, despite a veto threat and provisions he says he is "unhappy" about.

The president approved the legislation to fund the government through September for national security reasons, as it authorizes a major increase in military spending that he supports. Trump criticized the rushed process to pass the more than 2,200-page bill released only Wednesday. The president added he was "disappointed" in the legislation and would "never sign another bill like this again."

"We're very proud of many of the items that we've been able to get. We're very disappointed that in order to fund the military, we had to give up things where we consider in many cases them to be bad or them to be a waste of money. But that's the way unfortunately right now the system works," Trump said at the White House on Friday. He added that he "looked very seriously" at a veto, but his support for the military spending levels "overrode" his concerns about the bill.


Trump highlighted the portions of the bill he supports: the nearly $80 billion increase in defense spending, a $1.6 billion boost to border security funding and a cash injection to fight the opioid epidemic. The border money will go mostly toward surveillance technology and fencing similar to structures that already exist on the southern border. The amount of funding came in far below what the president wanted.

Trump teased a veto a day after the White House had said he would sign the legislation despite his misgivings. The government would have shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday if Trump did not sign a funding bill into law.

In a tweet Friday morning, Trump said he was "considering a VETO" because the proposal does not extend protections for hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants or fully fund his proposed border wall.


The president's tweet threw more chaos into the process to keep the government running, even after it looked like Trump's signature would be a sure thing. Vice President Mike Pence offered support for the bill Thursday. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaneyanswered "yes" on Thursday when asked if Trump would sign the bill.

"Why? Because it funds his priorities," he told reporters.

The legislation, which both chambers of Congress passed with bipartisan support, would fund the government through the end of September. It would significantly boost military spending and increase funding for border security, infrastructure and efforts to fight the opioid epidemic.

It also includes measures meant to strengthen gun sale background checks and improve school safety.


Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President Donald Trump speaks with Vice President Mike Pence at his side as holds an event to sign Congress' $1.3 trillion spending bill in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington. U.S., March 23, 2018.
When Trump threatened a veto, many lawmakers had already left Washington. Some are in Rochester, New York, for the funeral Friday of longtime Rep. Louise Slaughter, who died last week. The Senate had adjourned and was not expected to take up legislative work again until April 9.

While Trump cheered the military funding levels, he was irked by the level of border security funding. While Republicans and the president himself have said the bill funds Trump's "wall," the money goes to fencing structures similar to ones that already exist.

Trump, who has tried to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, reportedly wanted $25 billion in long-term wall funding in exchange for protections for the young immigrants. Democrats and some Republicans have sought to extend the DACA program. Trump reportedly did not want to give up to 1.8 million immigrants a pathway to citizenship as part of the deal, as Democrats wanted.

On Friday, Trump claimed Democrats do not want to extend the legal protections.

"I do want the Hispanic community to know and DACA recipients to know that Republicans are much more on your side than the Democrats who are using you for their own purposes," he said.

Some notable Republicans who opposed the spending bill encouraged Trump to torpedo it on Friday after his veto threat. Earlier, House Freedom Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told CNBC the veto threat "is great" and said he hoped the president followed through on it.

"I think he got a full understanding of how bad this legislation is … This is not even close to what the American people elected us to do," the hardline House conservative said.

Jordan pushed back on GOP claims that the bill funded the border wall, asking, "Why do you think [House and Senate Minority Leaders] Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are smiling ear to ear?"

Earlier Friday, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told Trump to "please" veto the legislation, calling the spending levels "grotesque."

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., whom Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellpersuaded not to delay the Senate vote on the bill, also urged Trump to "veto this sad excuse for legislation."


At least one Democrat — Rep. Ted Lieu of California — said he supports a veto. He criticized the rushed process by which Congress passed the legislation.


House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had worked this week to win Trump's support for the plan. He described it as a win for the president because it boosts Defense Department funding, authorizes more money to fight the opioid crisis and puts more money toward border enforcement.

"This funds the wall, fixes the military, fights opioids and does the things that we said," Ryan said Thursday on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," a show Trump frequently watches and tweets about.

Ryan also went to the White House on Wednesday as Trump was unsure about whether to support the spending bill. After the president spoke with Ryan and McConnell, the White House issued a statement saying he backed the legislation.

— CNBC's Ylan Mui and Eamon Javers contributed to this report​

Sometimes you take what you can get, even if it's not much. Trump has a majority, but not a conservative majority. I think it's likely he made the best possible choice.

 

Nah, I think he should've gambled and vetoed it, his major campaign promise was not to increase defense spending.

The only good thing I can say about this bill is that it's only good for five months, and they'll have to have another funding bill in September but what Trump did does not bode well - he way out-played by Paul Ryan, fer cryin' out loud.

 

It's a good point. We shall see. September will be the heated portion of the midterms. Trump may have wanted to pick his fight there. I think he will veto over the wall at that point. He'll also have election season leverage.

I also think he's working more closely with Mitch & Paul than we think. They might change their tactics at that time as well.

 

There was a great comment on one of the news sites I like. Have to edit it a little, but the sentiments are much appreciated.

My God, you p*******s!

Trump is fighting a war, and you're getting your ni****s twisted over one battle. At least this bill outlines who our enemies are. Trump's presidency is about making America great, and he has been working his n**s off to do it. Concessions have to be made. He has to pick his battles; he can't win all of them - especially against a congress bought with Wall Street lobbyist dollars.

Have faith in the man we chose to represent us. And thank God none of you fair-weather friends are friends of mine.​

LOL! Sorry, this sums up a lot of conservatives (including myself at times). We are wimps when it comes to these battles, and dive into these dark negative clouds after any setback. Sheesh, we need to stop whining. Come on people, toughen up.

 

Yes, it does not make one want to go out and vote R again, does it? Of course, they're is no alternative.

 

Well see. I'm still optimistic. Trump weighed a veto, but in the end, decided to attack this again in September. Wanted to fund the military first, and also keep the government running. Some have suggested he's making sure some behind the scenes grand jury processes stay funded and running. Interesting.

Bottom line, is the war, not individual battles.

 

Trump taking major heat, that's for sure.

 

A 5 month bill is not a sellout. Definitely a compromise and a loss, but I get the reasoning. Military is essential, and there's another battle coming soon.

I will say, I wish liberals gave up as easily as conservatives.

 

Trump is asking for a line item veto. Anyone understand exactly what that is? Is it for the current bill, or just something for future bills?

 

Uh no it wasn't in fact it was just the opposite.