Meanwhile, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said this morning that declaring a national emergency is “something we’re still looking at” but that an agreement with Congress would be better.

What do the polls say?

A majority of Americans blame Trump for the shutdown, according to polls taken before the Oval Office speech. Republican strategists are closely watching for any new signs that the speech has changed minds.

They are increasingly worried about Trump’s re-election prospects in 2020, and some behind-the-scenes decision making on the shutdown could hinge on how supportive Americans are of a wall.

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