1. Why did President Trump threaten to veto the bill before signing it?

2. Why did the president decide not to veto it but instead sign the bill? Be specific.

3. This spending bill will be in effect until September. What warning did President Trump give Congress about future spending bills?

4. What two things did President Trump call on Congress to do going forward to be used with future spending bills?

5. Republicans control the House and the Senate. Why do you think they capitulated so easily to the demands of the Democrats, who are very happy that they got much of what they wanted in the spending bill?

6. There are four clips from President Trump’s speech under “Resources” below.
a) The military’s budget has been cut in spending bills under previous presidents. In clip #1, the president said this has put Americans as risk. What does the president say his highest duty is?
b) In clip #2, what does the president say about national defense and the border?
c) In clip #3, what does President Trump say he had no choice over?
d) DACA was a plan put in place a few years ago by President Obama through executive order. President Trump put a hold on it through executive order. Trump offered to compromise on DACA if the Democrats would compromise on funding for the border wall. In clip #4, what does the president say about the Democrats in Congress and DACA?

7. Read the “Background” below. President Trump decided not to veto the bill over the concern that in a new spending bill the Pentagon would not get the money needed for re-building the military (in this bill Congress allocated more than the president even asked for).
a) Considering the threats posed by Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, rogue regimes and terrorists, do you think the President made the right choice? Explain your answer.
b) Building the wall (and receiving the funding to do so from Congress) is a number one priority for President Trump (and his voters). Was making the concession to fund the military the right thing to do? Explain your answer.

8. Before the president signed the bill, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh said, “Stop thinking of Congress as Republicans and Democrats. You’ve got to think of that as one unified group of people, establishmentarians who are working in a coordinated way to thwart and nullify the election and agenda of the Trump presidency."
In an attempt to get around Congress (where many Republicans appear to be unified with Democrats against President Trump) the president suggested in a tweet on Sunday that he could build the wall using the military as it is a matter of national security and the military now has the funds to do so. What is your reaction to this?