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I am ready to keep govt shut for years, Trump declares

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We are compiling report on Nigeria's election - US

Controversial US President Donald Trump has declared that he is ready to keep government shutdown for years if he does not get the billions of dollars requested to help fund the building of a wall on the border with Mexico.

Trump made the declaration after a meeting with congressional leaders which ended in disagreement.

“Absolutely I said that,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.

“I don’t think it will. But I am prepared,” he added. “I hope it doesn’t go on even before a few more days. It really could open very quickly. We had a very, very productive meeting, and we’ve come a long way”.

Trump is still sticking to his demand for $5 billion (3.97 billion pounds) in border wall funding which is fiercely opposed by Democrats.

Read also: US Senate hands Trump rare double rebuke over war in Yemen, murder of Khashoggi

In a related development, US House Democrats have introduced a package of bills that would re-open the federal government without approving money for Trump’s border wall.

According to reports, the package to end the shutdown will include one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with $1.3bn for border security, through February 8.

It will also include six other bipartisan bills to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown.

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