US President Donald Trump said he may put off trying to get funding to build a border wall with Mexico until September if it can help Congress pass a budget and avoid shutting down the government by a Saturday deadline.
Trump told a group of journalists at the White House that one of his biggest campaign promises could wait if it meant passing a budget. The White House confirmed a tweet by one of the journalists reporting Trump's change of heart.
"The President’s comments this evening are welcome news given the bipartisan opposition to the wall, and the obstacle it has been to the continuing bipartisan negotiations in the appropriations committees," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "It’s time for Congress to act to make it clear that government will remain open for the American people".
Earlier on Monday, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly told the (CNN) that Trump would insist that money for the wall be included in the budget. More than $21 billion is needed to build the wall to keep illegal immigrants out, which Trump has vowed Mexico would pay for.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions admitted on Monday that Mexico would not voluntarily pay for the barrier but implied that tariffs on Mexican good entering the US could be employed to raise the money.

Source: QNA