Remember when Trump wanted Obama fired over a government shutdown? CNN’s Don Lemon does.
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Up until recently, President Trump has seemingly thought funding the government was an executive responsibility.
Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for his refusal to sign a spending bill last week because they wouldn't devote federal money to a border wall. But back when the government shut down in 2013, he thought the buck stopped with the president, CNN's Don Lemon recalled on Thursday.
As the government failed to reach a funding agreement during former President Barack Obama's term five years ago, Fox News asked Trump who should "bear the brunt of the responsibility" for an impending shutdown. "Well if you say who gets fired, it always has to be the top," Trump said at the time, adding that "the president is the leader" and he's "gotta lead."
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Trump said just two weeks ago that he would be "proud to shut down the government over border security." But that's clearly not what he says now, Lemon incredulously pointed out on Thursday's show.
The partial government shutdown is now in its seventh day, with 420,000 federal employees expected to work without pay, per The Associated Press. Another 380,000 are furloughed at home. Trump, meanwhile, is touting that he stayed in the White House over Christmas to make a deal despite Congress leaving the Capitol for the week.
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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
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