Trump has been telling those close to him that a government shutdown would bode well for him politically, the Washington Post reports. His rationale is reportedly that refusing to budge on immigration will curry favor with his base of supporters who were unhappy he struck a debt ceiling deal with Democrats in the fall.

Why it matters: The deadline to pass a spending bill and avoid shutdown is Dec. 8, though the Post reports that there have been talks to pass a temporary extension to Dec. 22 or later if Democrats and Republicans can't reach a deal.

What Trump is thinking, per the Post: