Influential conservatives vented their anger and warned that President Trump’s would blow up relations with his base after initial reports of a deal with Democratic leaders on DACA that didn’t include a border wall.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a longtime Trump supporter and immigration hawk, fumed on Twitter about the near-deal after House minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer released a statement about it.
‘@RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible,’ wrote King.
President Trump said Thursday the two sides were ‘fairly close’ to a deal on DACA and border enhancements, prompting conservative immigration hawks to warn of a fracture in his base amid ‘amnesty’
King tweeted again on Thursday. ‘Reagan led with Amnesty, 1986. Bush43 led with Amnesty ’06, Obama led with Amnesty ’13. All failed so…Trump leads with DACA Amnesty 2017.’ King told CNN: ‘The base will leave him. They won’t be able to defend him any more.’
Schumer and Pelosi said after a White House dinner that a deal had been done that would enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants who benefited from former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
The White House initially said the president had had ‘a constructive working dinner’ with Schumer (pictured), Pelosi and administration officials
The deal announced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (picturd on Wednesday) following a White House dinner would enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as children
A joint Democratic statement said that Trump agreed to set aside the border wall as part of the agreement. The White House spokeswoman immediately slapped the claim down
‘The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that’s acceptable to both sides.’
Trump later tweeted: ‘No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote.’
Leading conservatives were not reassured.
Conservative opinion writer Ann Coulter tweeted: ‘At this point, who DOESN’T want Trump impeached?’
Conservative talk host Laura Ingraham wrote that the only deal that ‘MIGHT’ make sense would be a bill to transform the immigration system, an electronic verification system, and the wall. “Border security” pledge is MEANINGLESS,’ she wrote.
Trump said Thursday he had spoken to Republican leaders, who had yet to comment on the plan in the morning, although CNN reported that Ryan’s office said the speaker and Trump had not spoken.
Trump said before departing for Florida on a trip to view hurricane damage: ‘Mitch is on board, Paul Ryan’s on board. We all feel, look, 92% of the people agree on DACA, but what we want is very, very powerful border security, okay?’
Trump added: ‘Ryan and McConnell agree with us on DACA, we’re very much, we’re very on board.’ Trump said Thursday the two sides were ‘fairly close’ but that they needed to get ‘massive’ border security.
Amid the pushback from Republicans, Trump defended the dreamers on Twitter Thursday morning.
‘Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!’ he said.
‘They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own – brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security.’
One headline on Brietbart, the conservative website to which White House advisor Steve Bannon has returned, said: ‘Report: Trump Caves on DACA, Wants ‘Quick’ Amnesty for 800K Illegal Aliens.’ The site termed the president ‘Amnesty Don.’
Trump’s meeting with Schumer and Pelosi came a week after he cut a deal with Democrats to pass hurricane relief and keep the government open for three months while providing a short-term increase in the debt ceiling.