Trump threatens Government shutdown to secure border wall

A holiday government shutdown appeared more likely on Thursday after President Donald Trump informed House Republicans he would refuse to accept a stop-gap measure -- already passed by the Senate -- that doesn't include funds for his long-promised border wall.

Stewing at the White House, Trump ranted on Twitter that he'd been down a similar road earlier this year, only to find himself again in the same position. His press secretary said he wouldn't move forward without the billions in funding for "steel slats or a wall."

The measure now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to fail, setting the stage for a partial government shutdown on Friday at midnight.

The proposed southern barrier was one of Trump's key campaign pledges.

The lower chamber on Thursday night approved the government spending bill in a 217-185 vote, which included Trump's request for $5bn (£4bn) for his promised border wall with Mexico.

The measure passed hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders met Trump on Thursday afternoon to discuss budget negotiations.

The Senate had unanimously passed a spending measure on Wednesday night to keep the government running until 8 February ahead of Friday's deadline.

But the bill did not include border wall money, and the Republican president on Thursday insisted he would not sign any bill that did not contain wall funding, Ryan told reporters after the meeting.

The House version includes $5.7bn for the US-Mexico barrier and $7.8bn for disaster funding.

But the bill is expected to fail in the Senate, where Democrats could block the 60-vote majority needed to approve it. Although Republicans control the Senate, Trump's party only has 51 seats.

If Congress is unable to agree upon a temporary funding bill by Friday night, funding will expire for agencies that control federal law enforcement agencies, airport security, space exploration, and farm programmes.

Fears of a government shutdown over the wall set markets on edge on Thursday, when the Dow fell by 2% - over 400 points - to a 14-month low.