Trump throws cold water on border bill — again

Former President Donald Trump blasted the Senate’s bipartisan border bill Monday morning, calling the legislation, which would tighten asylum standards and automatically shut down the southern border to illegal crossings if encounters reached a certain daily threshold, a “great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party.”

“Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done,” Trump posted on Truth Social. Some Trump surrogates have made similar arguments in recent weeks as details about the agreement began to emerge.

Senators released a finalized deal on stricter border and immigration policies on Sunday night, which is headed toward an uncertain floor vote later this week.

Trump previously pledged to fight the bill “all the way.”

“As the leader of our party, there is zero chance I will support this horrible, open borders betrayal of America. It’s not going to happen, and I’ll fight it all the way,” Trump said last month during a campaign event in Nevada. And he lavished praise on House Speaker Mike Johnson, who declared the bill “dead on arrival,” in the House.

Trump and his allies have been feverishly working to scuttle the bill, which his likely 2024 presidential opponent, President Joe Biden, desperately wants to see pass.

Biden on Sunday lauded the bill, which he said in a statement Sunday night would make the border more secure and the asylum process more fair, while delivering desperately needed aid to U.S. allies around the world, including Ukraine and Israel.

“Now, House Republicans have to decide. Do they want to solve the problem? Or do they want to keep playing politics with the border? I’ve made my decision. I’m ready to solve the problem. I’m ready to secure the border,” Biden said.