(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump has pushed for an end to the government shutdown as it hits its third week.
While hosting Republican lawmakers for a luncheon in the Rose Garden on Tuesday, Trump blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats for the shutdown continuing and called it “a craven act of partisan spite.” He added Republican senators have voted 11 times to reopen the government.
“Democrats are causing delays in our air traffic control, over one million federal workers aren’t getting paid, and children aren’t able to enjoy our museums,” Trump said. “I’m asking them to be smart. It’s not working. They’re getting killed in the polls.”
Trump suggested the Senate Democrats are only delaying a vote because the country “is doing so well,” referring to tariff revenue from other countries. He also said he would be meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in two weeks in South Korea to discuss trade further.
“Tariffs equal national security and signal wealth for our country,” Trump said.
The president also touted a crime crackdown that took place in Washington, D.C., pointing to the more than 1,000 arrests made and saying that the “real fixing up” of the nation’s capital will be happening soon.
Among the attendees were Sens. Tim Scott, Chuck Grassley, Ted Cruz, John Barrasso, Mitch McConnell, James Lankford, Bill Cassidy, Ashley Moody, Joni Ernst, Bill Hagerty, Jim Banks, Markwayne Mullin, Cindy Hyde Smith and Katie Britt.