Why Trump Is Dragging Out the Shutdown — Even Though It’s Unpopular

By any normal political logic, the partial government shutdown should be long over by now.

Polls show that more people blame President Donald Trump than congressional Democrats for the ongoing crisis, while the president's national approval rating continues to tank. Meanwhile, Trump is no closer to securing funding for a border wall with Mexico — the sticking point that led to the shutdown and a goal that remains consistently unpopular among a majority of Americans.

By any normal political logic, the partial government shutdown should be long over by now. Polls show that more people blame President Donald Trump than congressional Democrats for the ongoing crisis, while the president's national approval rating continues to tank. Meanwhile, Trump is no closer to securing funding for a border wall with Mexico — the sticking point that led to the shutdown and a goal that remains consistently unpopular among a majority of Americans.