US govt shutdown may go into New Year, Trump’s aide says

The partial government shutdown in the US could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives, so says an aide of President Donald Trump.

Mick Mulvaney, the budget director and chief of staff to Trump revealed that much on Sunday in an interview.

“It’s very possible this shutdown will go beyond (December) the 28th and into the new Congress,” Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday.

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

“I don’t think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days” because of the Christmas holiday, added Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago.

The partial government shutdown came in place after Trump and the US Congress failed to reach a deal on the proposed US-Mexico border.

Trump has demanded $5 billion as a down-payment on construction of a huge wall that he argues is the only way to keep illegal immigrants and drugs from entering the United States.

However, Democrats and some Republicans argue there are less costly, more effective border controls.

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