Mitch McConnell

====Shutdown of 2018–2019====
From December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, the [[United States federal government shutdown of 2018–2019|federal government was shut down]] when Congress refused to give in to Trump's demand for $5.7&nbsp;billion in federal funds for a [[Trump border wall|U.S.–Mexico border wall]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border/|title=McConnell knocks Dems for rejecting Trump's 'reasonable request' on border|author=Carney, Jordain|date=December 22, 2018|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804015536/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/422600-mcconnell-knocks-dems-for-rejecting-trumps-reasonable-request-on-border|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2018, the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican-controlled]] [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding, and the bill appeared likely to be approved by the Republican-controlled [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and Trump. After Trump faced heavy criticism from some [[Alternative media (U.S. political right)|right-wing media outlets]] and pundits for appearing to back down on his campaign promise to [[Build the Wall|"build the wall"]], he announced that he would not sign any appropriations bill that did not fund its construction.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks/|title=McConnell suggests shutdown could last for weeks|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 2, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922153149/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/423590-mcconnell-suggests-shutdown-could-last-for-weeks|url-status=live}}</ref>

During this shutdown, McConnell blocked the Senate from voting on appropriations legislation, and said it was not his place to mediate between the Senate and Trump.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2F8BR6M|title=McConnell keeps his head down as government shutdown drags on|last1=Bresnahan|first1=John|last2=Everett|first2=Burgess|website=[[Politico]]|language=en|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=November 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195811/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/04/mcconnell-government-shutdown-1080027|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Nilsen-2019">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|title=Senate Democrats pushed a vote to reopen the government. Mitch McConnell shot them down.|last=Nilsen|first=Ella|date=January 10, 2019|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523202409/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/10/18176932/senate-democrats-mitch-mcconnell-government-shutdown|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Itkowitz-2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|title=Mitch McConnell could end the shutdown. But he's sitting this one out.|last=Itkowitz|first=Colby|date=January 11, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200905084251/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/11/mitch-mcconnell-could-end-shutdown-hes-sitting-this-one-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, McConnell had advised Trump against initiating the shutdown.<ref name="Homans-2019" /> Democrats criticized McConnell for not putting appropriations legislation up for a vote, noting that the Republican-controlled Senate had unanimously passed an appropriations bill without wall funding and that the Senate could override Trump's veto.<ref name="Bresnahan-2019" /><ref name="Nilsen-2019" /><ref name="Itkowitz-2019" />

By January 23, McConnell had blocked four Senate bills to reopen the government and a bill funding the Homeland Security Department through February 8. McConnell called for Democrats to support a Trump administration-backed measure that included $5.7&nbsp;billion in wall funding, together with a temporary extension of protections for [[DACA]] recipients, a Democratic priority.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government/|title=McConnell blocks bill to reopen most of government|author=Carney, Jordain|date=January 23, 2019|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=January 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124044721/https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/426668-mcconnell-blocks-bill-to-reopen-most-of-government|url-status=live}}</ref> Privately, other Republican senators pressured McConnell to stop blocking appropriations legislation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|title='This is your fault': GOP senators clash over shutdown inside private luncheon|last1=Sullivan|first1=Sean|last2=Kane|first2=Paul|date=January 25, 2019|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=September 18, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923011602/https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/this-is-your-fault-gop-senators-clash-over-shutdown-inside-private-luncheon/2019/01/24/cde0ca22-2045-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|title=McConnell Faces Pressure From Republicans to Stop Avoiding Shutdown Fight|last1=Stolberg|first1=Sheryl Gay|date=January 3, 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=May 23, 2019|last2=Fandos|first2=Nicholas|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115075719/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/us/politics/mcconnell-senate-republicans-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The shutdown ended on January 25, when President Trump signed a three-week funding measure reopening the government until February 15 without any funds for a border wall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gambino |first1=Lauren |last2=Walters |first2=Joanna |title=Trump signs bill to end shutdown and temporarily reopen government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=January 25, 2019 |date=January 25, 2019 |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125203948/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/25/shutdown-latest-news-trump-reopens-government-deal-democrats |url-status=live }}</ref> This was the longest government shutdown in American history.<ref name="Homans-2019" /><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Zaveri|first1=Mihir|last2=Gates|first2=Guilbert|last3=Zraick|first3=Karen|date=January 9, 2019|title=The Government Shutdown Was the Longest Ever. Here's the History.|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|access-date=January 6, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109234923/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/09/us/politics/longest-government-shutdown.html|url-status=live}}</ref>