Trump rejects short-term shutdown fix

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has rejected a short-term legislative fix for the partial government shutdown, declaring he will “never ever back down.”

Trump rejected a suggestion to reopen the government for several weeks while negotiations would continue with Democrats over his demands for $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president also edged further away from the idea of trying to declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress.

No cracks were apparent in the president’s deadlock with lawmakers after a weekend with no negotiations at all. His rejection of the short-term option proposed by Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham removed one path forward, and little else is in sight.