Government shutdown: Trump announces deal to end closure in rambling address as US airports hit by major delays

As Donald Trump's government shutdown reaches its 35th day

Trump announces deal to temporarily reopen US government agencies

Donald Trump has announced a short-term deal to reopen the federal government without allocating funds for his promised US-Mexico border wall.

The president spoke at the White House Rose Garden and said a deal had been made with congressional leadership to reopen the government for three weeks.

The announcement came as hundreds of flights were grounded or delayed at New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia airports.

“I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” Mr Trump said from the Rose Garden.

The deal will keep the government open until 15 February while negotiations continue over funding for the border wall.

In his rambling address the president said: “Barrier or walls will be an important part of the solution.”

Mr Trump said a bipartisan committee of lawmakers would be made to consider border spending before the new deadline.

“They are willing to put partisanship aside, I think, and put the security of the American people first,” Trump said.

The breakthrough came as LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both experienced at least 90-minute delays in take-offs due to the shutdown.

Follow events as they happened below

Additional reporting by Associated Press

Key Points

• Staffing shortages delaying flights at Newark and Philadelphia
• Arriving flights halted at LaGuardia Airport
• Donald Trump announces deal to end government shutdown

[25 January 2019 17:13 · James Crump]

The financial fortunes of airlines are closely tied to the health of the economy. In addition, airlines with hubs in Washington have said they are losing government business as a result of the shutdown.

(Reuters)

[25 January 2019 17:24 · James Crump]

The White House says Donald Trump has been briefed on airport delays.

"The President has been briefed and we are monitoring the ongoing delays at some airports. We are in regular contact with officials at the Department of Transportation and the FAA," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement to AP.

[25 January 2019 17:34 · James Crump]

This Friday, 800,000 federal workers are facing a second two-week payday without a paycheck.

[25 January 2019 17:42 · James Crump]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the airport delays on Twitter: 

[25 January 2019 17:53 · James Crump]

With hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay during the monthlong partial government shutdown, Mr Trump and his team, which includes the wealthiest Cabinet ever assembled, have struggled to empathise with those who are scraping to get by. 

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross set off howls when he was asked on CNBC on Thursday about reports that some of the 800,000 workers currently not receiving paychecks were going to homeless shelters to get food. 

"Well, I know they are, and I don't really quite understand why," he said. "The obligations that they would undertake, say borrowing from a bank or a credit union, are, in effect, federally guaranteed. So the 30 days of pay that some people will be out ... there's no real reason why they shouldn't be able to get a loan against it."

(AP)

[25 January 2019 18:00 · James Crump]

Having deemed air traffic controllers who are calling in sick "disappointing," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on CNBC that workers will eventually get their pay and that there is no reason why a loan would not be a reasonable option for workers who have been staring at zeros on their pay statements. 

"Now, true, the people might have to pay a little bit of interest, but the idea that it's paycheck or zero is not a really valid idea," said Ross, whose financial disclosure forms reveal $700 million in assets. 

(AP)

[25 January 2019 18:11 · James Crump]

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says delays at East Coast airports amid a partial federal government shutdown are another symptom of the "federal madness" caused by Republican President Donald Trump. 

The Democrat says the delays are hurting the economy and impacting airport safety and security. His comments came at an unrelated event in Manhattan Friday morning. 

(AP)

[25 January 2019 18:14 · James Crump]

President Donald Trump is expected to make a statement regarding the government shutdown at 1:30pm EST / 6:30 pm GMT.

[25 January 2019 18:15 · James Crump]

CBS News reported Mr Trump was expected to endorse a stop-gap funding bill that would offer time to continue to debate his demand for border wall funds, while assuring federal workers get their pay.

The White House declined to comment on the reports but it was making arrangement for the president to speak in the Rose Garden.

Mr Trump has insisted on $5.7bn to fund a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico but Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, have rejected his demand.

(Reuters)

[25 January 2019 18:19 · James Crump]

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or, as with some airport workers, required to work without pay. Some federal agencies have reported much higher absence rates among workers as they face an indefinite wait for their next paychecks. (Reuters)