The White House issued a strong directive on Monday, announcing that President Donald Trump is calling on members of Congress to return from their paid recess immediately. The central demand is for lawmakers to address the funding crisis facing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Presidential Call for Immediate Congressional Action

Urgency to End Recess

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters during a briefing that the President expects lawmakers back in Washington. Congress is currently scheduled to remain on recess for another two weeks before returning to legislative duties.

Addressing Operational Gaps

This appeal follows a recent presidential memorandum signed by President Trump. That directive tasked DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought with finding ways to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents.

Fixing the Problem Permanently

Beyond Executive Action

Leavitt emphasized that the President has taken necessary interim steps, but Congress must provide a lasting solution. “The president has stepped in to do the right thing at this moment in time,” she stated.

However, she stressed that the administration cannot rely solely on executive orders to manage the situation. “The president just can’t keep signing presidential memorandums and proclamations every time Congress fails to do its job,” Leavitt asserted.

Blaming Democrats for the Stalemate

The press secretary directly criticized Democrats, accusing them of obstructing the process. She claimed Democrats are “holding our entire country hostage” by attaching demands for restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) funding.

Leavitt further argued that these “reckless political games” have severely impacted national systems. She noted that the six-week DHS shutdown has pushed the air travel system “to its breaking point” and caused “massive pain on Americans.”

She concluded by stating that normalcy will not return until lawmakers fully fund the agency. “Nothing will be truly normal again until Democrats do the right thing to fund this agency fully,” Leavitt added.