US President Donald Trump has pledged to make a "major announcement" this afternoon on the ongoing US Federal Government shutdown.
The longest shutdown in US history is now entering its fifth week – with hundreds of thousands of federal workers either unable to work or forced to work without pay.
It began when President Trump refused to sign off on US budget legislation unless it contained funding for his planned wall along the southern border with Mexico.
The Democratic Party, which now holds a majority in the US House of Representatives, has refused to agree any spending bill that includes wall funding.
In a tweet, the US President said he would be making his “major announcement” at 8pm Irish time tonight.
I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M., live from the @WhiteHouse.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019
White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to provide further information but said President Trump would “continue looking for the solution.”
Over the last week, the dispute between the two parties deepened once again – with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging President Trump to postpone his State of the Union address due to security concerns – and the president cancelling Ms Pelosi’s planned international trip to visit US servicemen abroad.
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, 18-01-2018. Image: Xinhua/Ting Shen
The announcement would represent the first major overture by the president since January 8th – when he delivered an Oval Office address making the public case for his border wall.
Officials fom the Trump administration have described tonight's announcement as his third offer to end the shutdown.
He is expected to attempt to entice Democrats by offering concessions on other issues - however the plan is not based on any talks with them and officials are pessimistic that it will change anything regarding the impasse.
