Will Donald Trump build the wall or hit a wall?

‘Build that wall’ was a regular slogan by US President Donald Trump during and after his campaign.

Now, he’s demanding over $5bn from the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives to keep his promise.

The Democrats have refused to give in, leading to a partial government shutdown that began on December 22, affecting nearly 800,000 government employees.

The president has threatened to prolong the shutdown for months or even years.

And there’s even talk of declaring a national emergency and bypassing Congress altogether.

So, is this face-off about the wall, or the presidency?

And how is it changing American politics?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Oliver McGee – a former senior White House adviser and former deputy assistant secretary for transportation under the Bill Clinton administration.

Shawn Zeller – deputy editor of Congressional Quarterly Magazine.

Allan Lichtman – professor of political history at the American University.