Gianforte said the answer likely involves adding concessions to the deal that Democrats like, such as allowing illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, also known as Dreamers, to stay longer. Taking the wall money away from the president and the Department of Homeland Security should be a nonstarter.

“I trust DHS to tell us what it takes to secure the border," he said. "In the scheme of things in Washington, $5 billion is not that much money. So, I think the path forward, which the president did last week, is to add some other things to the package that the Democrats have said they wanted — some certainty for Dreamers, $800 million for humanitarian assistance to help the women and children who happen to come across. I think the president has put a very reasonable proposal on the table, and if the Democrats don’t like it, counter with something. But you can’t negotiate against yourself.”

Pelosi called the Trump offer, made Jan. 19, a nonstarter, and promised the House would move forward with another proposal to fund the government. The Senate took up the president’s weekend deal in a bill Thursday, which was rejected by Democrats and also two Republicans who voted against it.