President Trump says there is a ‘deal’ to reopen government for 3 weeks

President Donald Trump announced Friday that there is a potential deal to reopen the government for three weeks – a move that comes weeks after a protracted shutdown.

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

Both the House and the Senate need to vote on the matter and are expected to take up the measure relatively soon.

The proposal, sources tell ABC News, includes no funding for the president’s long-sought border wall.

The president also signaled that he has decided not to declare a national emergency at this time: “I have a very powerful alternative but I didn’t want to use it at this time, hopefully, it will be unnecessary.”

While the president has been slim on the details of the agreement, he did reference a conference committee of House and Senate leaders will act in “good faith” to reach an agreement on border security.

Evan Vucci/AP

“Over the next 21 days, I expect both Democrats and Republicans will operate in good faith. This is an opportunity for all parties to work together for the benefit of our whole, beautiful and wonderful nation,” Trump said.

The president thanked federal workers who have endured the shutdown and
said he will see to it that they receive back-pay “very quickly or as soon as possible.”

“I want to thank all of the incredible federal workers and their amazing families who have shown such extraordinary devotion in the face of this recent hardship,” Trump said.

Congress has been trying to come to a deal to reopen the government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

After Democrats rejected a proposal to temporarily reopen government with a pro-rated amount of border wall funding Thursday evening, Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters Friday morning that Republican senators were looking to the White House to decide the next move.

Bipartisan talks about a possible short-term compromise – a three-week stopgap funding bill to reopen the government – began late Thursday between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

A Senate Republican leadership aide says the GOP is “very wary” of President Trump, pointing out McConnell has been stung by Trump before. The aide is adamant that the president won’t announce a “McConnell deal” – this is a “President-Democrats deal.”

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Schumer did not immediately react in anticipation of the president’s announcement, though two sources close to Pelosi say she has not spoken to Trump since he walked out of a meeting in the Situation Room with congressional leaders on January 10.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.