The Atlantic

The Shutdown Deal Is the Same One Trump Previously Rejected

The president relented to political pressure on Friday, agreeing to reopen the government after 35 days without receiving money he demanded for a southern-border wall.
Source: Jacquelyn Martin / AP

Updated at 7:29 p.m. ET on January 25, 2019.

On the 35th day of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Donald Trump gave in.

And for all the drama of the past month, the deadlock over whether to construct a wall along the southern border will end, for now, how it began: with the president accepting a deal he previously rejected, punting the question a few weeks down the road.

Trump on Friday afternoon said he would sign legislation to reopen the government for three weeks without the $5.7 billion in funding for

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic5 min read
The Humbling of Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed subdued when India’s election results were declared on June 4. His Bharatiya Janata Party still had the most seats in Parliament; however, with 63 fewer than in the previous election, it had failed to secure a majo
The Atlantic8 min read
My Encounter With the Fantasy-Industrial Complex
In an alternate universe, I run a sprawling cabal. Its goal, according to the contrarian newsletters, crank blogs, and breathless podcasts where the fantasy plays out—is to silence right-wing populists on behalf of the deep state. Each morning, Googl
The Atlantic4 min read
What Writer’s Block Feels Like
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. Nearly every week as I sit down to write this newsletter, I’m gripped with panic—the feeling lasts from a few minutes to half a day, and e

Related Books & Audiobooks