Trump’s press secretary blames Democrats for ‘cruel’ government shutdown amid record-breaking TSA lines: Live updates

Live updates on the Trump administration
Here are updates from the Trump administration today.

1:41 p.m.

- Leavitt accuses Democrats of negotiating in bad faith during press briefing
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt continued to blame Senate Democrats for not cutting a deal with Republicans and the president to fund DHS, claiming they were purposefully being ‘cruel’ to distract Americans from the U.S.

military wins abroad.

“We have attempted in good faith numerous times… to go to the Democrats with reasonable offers,” Leavitt said.

“The cruelty is the point.

They want this chaos.”
In addition, Leavitt said the president would reschedule his trip to China for May 14 – it was initially postponed because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

11:30 a.m.

- Melania Trump introduces humanoid robot to international leaders
First Lady Melania Trump walked into her Fostering the Future Together coalition roundtable with a talking humanoid robot called “Figure3” – a nod to advancements in technology, which her initiative is focused on.

Wearing a white pantsuit, which matched the walking robot, the first lady marked the first time a humanoid robot was presented to international leaders in a diplomatic setting.

Melania Trump’s initiative calls for supporting children’s education to advance technology and adapt to artificial intelligence.

11:14 a.m.

- Trump suggests he will put National Guard in airports
Trump increased pressure on Senate Democrats to cut a deal, quickly, with Republicans to fund DHS, by threatening to put National Guard members in airports – a similar tactic he used to pressure Democratic state leaders to comply with immigration enforcement last year.

On Truth Social , the president blamed Democrats “for the Airport’s mess” and praised Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who he deployed to more than a dozen airports, for assisting in security.

“Thank you to our great ICE Patriots for helping.

It makes a big difference.

I may call up the National Guard for more help,” Trump wrote.

10:32 a.m - TSA head says agents are desperate for paychecks
After 40 days without a paycheck, some TSA agents have received eviction notices, defaulted on loans, drained retirement savings, slept in their cars and even sold their blood and plasma for extra money, the TSA acting administrator told members of Congress.

Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified that transportation security officers were under enormous stress already, since this is the third shutdown of the fiscal year.

She said the funding lapses “significantly undermine” security in the U.S., in addition to hurting individual agents.

At least 480 transportation security officers have left the agency since the shutdown began.

9:40 a.m.

– Deal to end DHS shutdown hits a wall
Momentum toward a potential resolution ended Tuesday evening after Senate Democrats rejected a deal that would have funded most of DHS’s agencies, other than immigration enforcement, because it did not include enough to hold federal agents accountable.

Trump had expressed little support for the deal, telling reporters Tuesday, “I think any deal they make, I'm pretty much not happy with it."
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