Trump defends move to risk government shutdown

President Donald Trump is defending his decision to risk a partial government shutdown as he demands money for his long-promised border wall with Mexico. Trump says a “powerful physical barrier” is “essential to border security” and that “every nation has not only the right but the absolute duty to protect its borders.” The president commented during a farm bill signing ceremony. Earlier Thursday, he told congressional Republicans he wouldn’t support a short-term spending measure passed by the Senate the night before. The government will partially shut down at midnight Friday unless there’s a deal.