Working a last-ditch effort (while digging in his demands) to avert a shutdown and keep the government working, Trump convened Republican senators for a morning meeting, but the lengthy back-and-forth did not appear to set a strategy for moving forward. He has demanded $5.7 billion.
Trump sent his top envoys to to Senate and they strained to broker a last-minute compromise with Democrats and some of their own Republican Party’s lawmakers.
But Vice President Mike Pence, incoming White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and senior adviser Jared Kushner departed after hours spent dashing back and forth, with no outward signs of an agreement. Back at the White House, Trump said the government was “totally prepared for a very long shutdown,” though hardly anyone thought a lengthy shutdown was likely.
But the president was doing his best to avoid a shutdown. He had a new proposal.
Looking for a way to claim victory, Trump said he would accept money for a “Steel Slat Barrier” with spikes on the top, which he said would be just as effective as a “wall” and “at the same time beautiful.”
While the were no comments from legislators about the president’s latest monumental idea, twitterzens did not spare the opportunity to voice their opinion.
Below, some of the most twittered-about and the most-liked replies to the president’s idea. But before you continue reading –and maybe laughing– remember that at issue with a #shutdown is funding for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks and forests and an impasse that threatens hundreds of thousands of federal workers at the end-of-the-year holidays.
President Trump tweeted amid shutdown negotiations:
A design of our Steel Slat Barrier which is totally effective while at the same time beautiful! pic.twitter.com/sGltXh0cu9
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
These are some of the replies to his idea:
Cool. Here’s an even bigger picture so people can see how well it would work. pic.twitter.com/aMsn7BtRWi
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) December 22, 2018
— becks (@wildflxrence) December 22, 2018
Life, uh, finds a way. pic.twitter.com/9zhtLRQbgd
— Jon Painter (@JonPainterPhoto) December 22, 2018
2000 miles of snow fence from Walmart ~$8 million. Cost savings. You’re welcome. pic.twitter.com/w40KZJVt6u
— Crap_Locker (@Crap_Locker) December 22, 2018
*When you wait until the night before to finish your presentation*
— Matt Ballard (@M_R_Ballard) December 22, 2018
— LisaMarie 🇺🇸 (@indianaoldsoul) December 22, 2018
Sometimes I think this is a parody account.
— Julian Huguet *Blue Check Mark* (@jhug00) December 22, 2018
Some big gaps there… pic.twitter.com/oxj4UzGizA
— Ethan Reid (@Fromezilla) December 22, 2018
—
A “Steel Slat Barrier” with spikes on the top was Trump’s idea to accept instead of his wall and Twitterzens responded.
