Trump threatens shutdown over border wall with Mexico

Terming Democrats as 'obstructionists', United States President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down the federal government to make sure his proposed border wall with Mexico is approved and funded by lawmakers.

"Build that wall. Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it, but believe me we have to close down our government, we're building that wall," Trump said on Tuesday during a rally in Phoenix.

If a new bill is not passed, the government will shut down on Oct. 1.

In a scathing attack on Democrats, Trump said he has a message for "obstructionist" Democrats, "the 48 Democrats have no idea, no policies, no vision for the country; the only thing they do is they obstruct like the Health Bill."

Trump said, "Obamacare is the disaster and we will repeal and replace as we are just one vote away."

He says, "If we have to close down our government, we're building that wall."

Trump has promised to built a 'transparent' wall for safety reasons. "You have to be able to see through it, border agents need to know what or who is on the other side of the fence to avoid being hit by sacks of drugs and other contraband", Trump has said.

Trump also accused the Democrats of putting American security at risk for not supporting the proposal.

The wall was one of Trump's most popular campaign vows, prompting frequent rally chants of "Build that wall!"

Trump had promised Mexico would pay for the wall, but Mexico has so far refused.

The House has passed a spending bill with funding for the border wall, but it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Trump has promised to build the border wall during his 2016 presidential bid.

Trump also defended his Charlottesville remarks that were widely condemned internationally and by the Republicans.

"What happened in the Charlottesville strikes at the core of America. And tonight, this entire arena stands united against the thugs who perpetrate hatred and violence," Trump said, adding, "I strongly condemn neo-Nazis, white Supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan members (KKK)."

The Trump administration had announced that it would waive environmental and other laws and regulations that impede the first phase of construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decision clears an important hurdle to construction of the wall, and signals an approach the administration could take in the future when it seeks to build additional sections of wall or fence.

The waiver announced applies to "a variety of environmental, natural resource, and land management laws" in the San Diego sector.

The 15-mile stretch identified in the waiver also includes 14 miles of replacement secondary fencing, for which the Customs and Border Protection has requested funding from the Congress.