President Donald Trump is blaming Democrats on Saturday for the current government shutdown that went into effect at midnight.

But Trump himself is on record saying that the president should always shoulder the blame for a government shutdown.

During the last shutdown in 2013, Trump told Fox News that the responsibility for the shutdown rested with then-President Barack Obama.

Back then, the federal government ceased functioning for a total of 16 days.

Trump appeared on the Fox News Channel numerous times and was asked who was at fault.

trump to fox & friends during a government shutdown: "the right guy" as president would get everyone in a room and make a deal (10/7/13) pic.twitter.com/ZNqOvcrumS — John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) January 20, 2018

During the 2013 government shutdown, President Donald Trump made numerous appearances on Fox News, including with host Sean Hannity (above), where he blamed then-President Barack Obama for the government shutdown

Trump is on record saying that the president should always shoulder the blame for a government shutdown. He is seen above during a 2013 appearance on Fox News with Greta Van Susteren

'Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top,' Trump told Fox & Friends in 2013 when asked who was responsible for the shutdown. 'I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president's the leader'

what kind of idiot would ever say the responsibility for ending a government shutdown is on the president of the united states? (10/8/13) pic.twitter.com/ldNbZdLz4B — John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) January 20, 2018

'Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top,' Trump told Fox & Friends in 2013.

'I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president's the leader.

'And he's got to get everybody in a room and he's got to lead.'

Trump said that from a historical standpoint, 'when they talk about the government shutdown, they're going to be talking about the president of the United States, who the president was at that time.'

'They're not going to be talking about who was the head of the House, the head the Senate, who's running things in Washington.

'So I really think the pressure is on the president.'

Those remarks are in stark contrast to Trump's tweets on Saturday, in which he said it was the Democrats' fault that there was a shutdown.

The president accused the opposition party of putting 'illegal immigrants' ahead of the country.

'Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can't let that happen!' Trump tweeted Saturday morning.

Fox & Friends: Who gets fired if there is a government shutdown?



Trump: “Well if you say who gets fired, it always has to be the top. Problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president’s the leader” (9/30/13) pic.twitter.com/VC5jQRNkrb — John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) January 20, 2018

Obama is seen above in March 2013. The government was shut down for 16 days

On Twitter, Trump said the blame for the current shutdown rests with the Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (seen in Washington on Saturday) said Trump reneged on a deal that would have averted a shutdown

The tweetstorm comes amid mutual recriminations between Democrats and Republicans over who is to blame for the government shutdown, which took effect at 12am on Saturday.

'Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border,' the president tweeted just after dawn Eastern time on Saturday.

'They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead.

'#WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!'

Trump then tweeted: 'This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present.'

The president then used the hashtag #DemocratShutdown.

'For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60,' Trump said in a follow-up tweet.

'That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!'

Finally, Trump tweeted: '#America First!'

Trump and Republican lawmakers took a tough stance on Saturday after the US Congress failed to fund federal agencies, saying they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats help end the government shutdown.

Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight with no agreement in Congress, meaning the second year of Trump's presidency began without a fully functioning government.

Lawmakers failed to resolve an impasse over Democrats' demands to include certain measures, including protections for young undocumented immigrants, in any short-term spending legislation.

US government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013.

The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives were holding rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could have an impact on congressional elections in November.

'The president will not negotiate on immigration reform until Democrats stop playing games and reopen the government,' White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Her message was echoed by Republicans in Congress, leading to speculation that Washington could be in for a prolonged battle that has interrupted government services.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer gave a stinging portrayal of Trump as an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to an agreement several times only to have Trump back out at the urging of anti-immigration conservatives.

'Negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O,' he said on Saturday. 'It's impossible to negotiate with a constantly moving target.'

Democrats' demand of securing permanent legal protections for 700,000 young, undocumented immigrants as a condition for new government funding, Walden said, was 'hostage-taking in its worse form.'