Trump caused the shutdown, he refused to pass the bills raising the debt, that the house and senate had passed, after he said he would sign them....then he changed his mind again, because two talk radio/ right wing media hosts trashed him for it....
Beginning of shutdown
Donald Trump meets with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on December 11, 2018, stating "I will be the one to shut it down."
On December 11, President Trump held a televised meeting with
Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer in the
Oval Office and asked them to support an appropriation of $5.7 billion for funding of a border wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico. They refused, resulting in an argument between Trump and both Congressional leaders. During the contentious discussion, Trump remarked, "I am proud to shut down the government for border security ...
I will be the one to shut [the government] down. I'm not going to blame you for it ... I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down." Schumer replied, "We shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute."[33]
Three days later,
Politico reported that Trump was willing to sign a bill with no funding for a border wall that delayed a government shutdown into 2019 and the new Congress.
[34] On December 18, following a meeting with Trump, Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell said that the government would not shut down on December 22 and that Trump was "flexible" over funding for a border wall.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman
Richard Shelby commented that the most likely resolution was a bill that funded the government until early February. Schumer added that his caucus would "very seriously" consider such a bill and Senate Majority Whip
John Cornyn said "I don't know anybody on the Hill that wants a shutdown, and I think all the president's advisers are telling him this would not be good."
[35]
On December 19, the Senate passed a second continuing resolution (
H.R. 695) that would fund the government until February 8, 2019. Pelosi announced that House Democrats would support the measure, meaning it would overcome opposition from conservative Republicans and pass the House.
[36] On December 20, following increased criticism from
conservative media, pundits, and political figures,
[37][38] Trump reversed his position and declared that he would not sign any funding bill that did not include border wall funding. The same day, the House passed a continuing resolution that included $5 billion for the wall and $8 billion in disaster aid.
[12] This bill failed in the Senate.
[39] Trump's changing position caused consternation among Senate Republicans.[37][40]
More to read in this article.