US govt shuts down after Senate fails to approve spending, immigration bill

Trump said, 'the Democrats want a shutdown of the federal government to diminish the 'great success' of tax cuts'

The US Senate was short of the votes needed to approve a bill to keep the federal government running as a midnight deadline loomed on Friday night, but high-level negotiations continued.

In a dramatic late-night session, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell left voting open despite appearing to fall well short of the 60 votes needed to keep alive legislation that would fund the government through Feb. 16.

As the clock ticked toward midnight, McConnell and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer huddled in a room just off the Senate floor.

Without some type of funding bill, the U.S. government technically would run out of money by midnight Friday. That would force a government shutdown with scores of federal agencies across the country unable to continue operating.

Democrats want US govt shutdown to ensure failure of tax cuts: Donald Trump

The Democrats want a shutdown of the federal government to diminish the "great success" of tax cuts and the booming economy, said US President Donald Trump.

Trump said that chances were "not looking good" that talks in Congress would break an impasse over spending and avert a US government shutdown.

"Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy," Trump said in a tweet late last night.

"Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border," Trump said in an indication of the consequences of a government shutdown.

Trump's tweet was an indication of the inability of the Republicans and the Democrats to arrive at an agreement to fund the government expenses for a short period of one month.