With absolutely no hope of Democrats giving it to him, President Donald Trump has gone ahead and requested the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives for $8.6 billion to fund his border wall with Mexico in his proposed federal budget for the 2020 fiscal year.
Ahead of Trump and his allies is a bruising battle with Democrats eager to inflict another humiliating defeat on the president. Adding to Democrat anger is the Trump budget mandating a 5% decrease in funding for all federal agencies except those having to do with defense. There will also be deep cuts to education and health, two issues at the core of Democrat values.
The White House has confirmed Trump will request $8.6 billion for his controversial border wall, plus an additional $3.6 billion in military construction funds to pay back funds the administration hopes redirected using Trump's emergency declaration, which is now tied down in lawsuits.
House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Trump won't the $8.6 billion to build his Mexico wall.
"President Trump hurt millions of Americans and caused widespread chaos when he recklessly shut down the government to try to get his expensive and ineffective wall, which he promised would be paid for by Mexico. Congress refused to fund his wall and he was forced to admit defeat and reopen the government. The same thing will repeat itself if he tries this again. We hope he learned his lesson," said both leaders in a joint statement.
Trump's renewed push to fund his border wall was swiftly condemned by Democrats, who are appalled the demand for money is more than six times the amount Congress allocated for border projects in each of the past two fiscal years. The demand for $8.6 billion is also 6% percent larger than the amount Trump arrogated in his declaration of a national emergency last month.
As Democrats control the purse strings for federal spending, this fact makes it unlikely Trump's request will win congressional approval.
Democrats also vowed to fight hard to ensure robust funding for critical programs such as education and health. House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) said she will fight to restore funding for critical services while reversing steps by the Trump administration to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
"The Trump administration has also consistently put forth budget proposals that make massive cuts to programs that protect the nation's most vulnerable families," said Waters.
Trump has proposed deep spending cuts on domestic programs, as well as entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security every year of his presidency. Congress has ignored him every time.
For the last two years, Democrats have assailed Trump's tax cuts for bloating the federal deficit, which the Congressional Budget Office projects will surpass $1 trillion by 2020.
Trump's and the Republican Party's much-maligned tax cuts will add $1.9 trillion to the U.S.' national debt.
While slashing money from most federal departments, Trump's budget will include $100 million for the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, a pet project of presidential daughter, Ivanka Trump.
