The Latest: Trump Seeking New Designs For Steel Wall Barrier

Donald Trump at Camp David

(Chris Kleponis - Pool/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the government shutdown (all times local):

10:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he plans to call the heads of U.S. Steel and other steel companies to come up with a new design for the barrier he's insisting must be built along the southern border.

That's despite the fact that his administration has already spent millions constructing wall prototypes near the border in San Diego.

Trump had once vowed to build a concrete border wall, but now says the barrier will be made of steel slats.

He tells reporters as he departs the White House for meetings at Camp David that he'll be asking the companies to design "a beautiful steel product" and "we'll use that as our barrier."

Trump's demand for billions for the barrier has forced a partial government shutdown that is now in its third week.

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9:55 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he doesn't expect anything to come out of a second day of negotiations between top administration officials and senior congressional staff trying to end the partial government shutdown now in its third week.

Trump insists to reporters as he departs the White House for staff meetings at Camp David that he feels the pain of hundreds of thousands of federal workers who aren't being paid. A day earlier, he had tweeted he didn't care that "most of the workers not getting paid are Democrats."

Trump is still digging in his heels, demanding billions for a border barrier that Democrats won't provide.

Trump says he's still mulling declaring a national emergency to try to circumvent Congress.

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9:30 a.m.

The White House press secretary says President Donald Trump is prepared to bypass Congress if necessary by declaring a national emergency to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders tells "Fox News Sunday" that the White House has been looking at "every option available" to get the needed money, and she says Trump will do "whatever it takes to protect our borders."

Trump asserted on Friday that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, but would first try a "negotiated process." Such a move is certain to draw legal challenges.

Sanders says Trump is "not going to stop" until he figures out the best way to protect U.S. citizens and that "whatever action he takes will certainly be lawful."

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8:20 a.m.

A first round of talks between White House officials and congressional aides has made little progress toward ending the government shutdown, with each side accusing the other of giving no ground.

More discussions are planned for Sunday.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to be at Camp David for a retreat with White House staff on border security and other topics. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House Democrats intend to start passing individual bills to reopen agencies.

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