White House redlines and Democratic demands set up shutdown showdown

President Donald Trump is preparing to effectively dare Democrats to shut down the government in a matter of weeks, taking a hard line against any major concessions ahead of negotiations over a must-pass funding bill.

The White House plans to reject any Democratic demands that key health provisions in the GOP’s domestic policy law be reversed as part of a budget package, aides said. And it will insist on retaining Trump’s authority to claw back funding at will — seeking to cement an extraordinary expansion of executive power that has already roiled lawmakers in both parties.

“We’re not going to accept any limitations on the president’s authorities or attempts to reverse President Trump’s policies,” a senior White House official told CNN. “The president is not going to be constrained.”