Trump is reportedly calling up Fox hosts to defend the shutdown deal


Now that President Trump looks set to compromise on the border wall, his next step is preventing the conservative media from flipping out about it.
The president and his aides, The New York Times reports, are in the process of doing so now, having recently called Fox Business' Lou Dobbs and Fox News' Sean Hannity to convey that "Mr. Trump deserved support because he still forced concessions that he would never have gotten without a five-week partial government shutdown." As an example, they point to an added $2 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Trump also evidently argued that the shutdown was worthwhile because it "educated the country about troubles at the border."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Both Dobbs and Hannity have been critical of the shutdown deal, which provides $1.3 billion for border fencing but not the $5.7 billion for a border wall Trump had been demanding. Trump has technically not yet committed to signing it. Dobbs called the deal an "insult," while Hannity called it a "garbage compromise" and said any Republican who agrees to it will "have to explain."
Hannity later said he's "not concerned" about Trump signing the deal, per The Hill. But not everyone in the conservative media has been as understanding, with Ann Coulter saying Trump is "afraid" to fight for the wall. Coulter also retweeted a post criticizing the Times' reporting by saying that the White House is "trying to silence conservative critics who are attacking the deal."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US