US Government shutdown threat grows as Trump digs in on wall, by Josh Dawsey.

Trump has told his advisers he will not accept a deal on other issues without money for the wall “and it has to be real money,” said one senior White House official. …

“He is animated about the wall,” the person said. “He cares about that more than many other things. He knows his base cares and chants about it.”

At a campaign rally in Phoenix on Tuesday, the president reiterated to his loyalists that he is committed to his vision for securing the border. “If we have to close down our government,” Trump said, “we’re building that wall.” …

Few staff members in the West Wing are as concerned about it, senior administration officials said.

Some in the White House have urged Trump not to focus as much on the wall, try to pass a clean debt-ceiling bill and move to tax reform. “You have barely anyone here saying, ‘Wall, wall, we have to get the wall at all costs,’” one White House official said. …

Two people who have spoken to Trump said he sees not building the wall as a personal embarrassment — and that he has shown more interest in building the wall than in other issues, like the upcoming budget negotiations.

It would be impossible to get Democrats on board for such a plan, Capitol Hill aides say, and Republicans will probably need Democratic support to enact a budget or raise the debt ceiling. …