President Trump stunned Republican leaders Wednesday by siding with Democrats during a conversation about linking Hurricane Harvey relief to a three-month debt limit increase. Trump didn't just side with Democrats, though — he reportedly broke a stalemate when congressional leaders were "ready to disagree," Business Insider writes:
According to a source briefed on the meeting, the leaders were deadlocked over the length of the debt ceiling extension. [...]As the leaders appeared ready to agree to disagree, the source said, Trump interjected and said the group should go with a three-month debt ceiling raise and a three-month continuing resolution.Republicans would have preferred a longer extension to avoid another fight in December. Democrats could use the opportunity as leverage to attach a provision aimed at codifying into law the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program, which the Trump administration said Tuesday would be phased out over the next six months. [Business Insider]
The proposal had no support from Republican leaders, who are now reportedly "furious" that Trump gave in to Democrats' demands in "just a few hours," Politico said. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) just hours earlier had called Democratic leaders' proposal a "ridiculous idea" and accused them of trying to "play politics" by attaching Harvey relief to raising the debt ceiling.
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