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."
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.
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein