During today’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders revealed just how low Trump is willing to go amidst the fight over this government shutdown.
A reporter asked if the Democrats refuse to comply with his demands, whether Trump would begin deporting Dreamers on March 5.
Sanders didn’t miss a beat with her answer.
“We haven’t determined that. We are hopeful we don’t have to do that and we don’t have to get there. We would like Democrats to get serious about solving problems,” Sanders said.
She completely revealed Trump’s hand. It’s all out on the table. While Democrats see this fight as one about the lives of 800,000 hardworking Americans whose fates hang in the balance, Trump sees them only as bidding chips.
Democrats caved to Republican demands this morning and voted to fund the government through February 8 and reauthorize CHIP. In return, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised to take up the debate over immigration. But McConnell has said this before, and has yet to deliver on the promise.
Democrats opted to take McConnell at his word, even though there’s absolutely no historical precedent that he’s good for it.
McConnell said that it’s his “intention” to hold a simple up or down vote on DACA if an agreement hasn’t been reached by February 8.
Given the parties’ track record on reaching agreements when the stake are high, Trump’s threat to begin deportations on March 5 is a very, very real one.
Sanders’ response in this press briefing may have seemed off the cuff, but given the state of things, she means business.