First family to head to Mar-a-Lago as Trump stays in DC amid shutdown

First lady Melania Trump and the president’s youngest son are headed to Mar-a-Lago in Florida as President Trump remains behind in Washington to deal with negotiations to avert a partial government shutdown.

Melania and Barron Trump departed Friday afternoon for the president’s resort in West Palm Beach, a spokeswoman for the first lady’s office said in a statement, but it was unclear when or if Trump himself would be joining the first family for the holidays.

{mosads}”It has long been the family’s tradition to spend their Christmas holiday at Mar-a-Lago. Her plans to travel with her son to their Florida home for his winter break have not changed this year,” Stephanie Grisham said.

Trump had previously planned a 16-day vacation over the Christmas holiday at his Florida resort, but the collapse of a deal this week to extend funding for roughly 25 percent of the federal government threw those plans into question.

The president Friday said he was prepared for a “very long” shutdown, raising the possibility of an extended battle with Congress over the Christmas holiday.

“I hope we don’t, but we are totally prepared for a very long shutdown,” the president told reporters at a bill signing on Friday, while adding that the chances of a shutdown are “probably very good.”

During a meeting with congressional Democratic leaders last week, the president seemed to take responsibility for a potential shutdown over a dispute centered around funding for his plans for fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I am proud to shut down the government for border security,” Trump said last week. “I will take the mantle. I will shut it down, I’m not going to blame you for it.”

But he shifted tone Friday, saying the Democrats were to blame.

The Democrats now own the shutdown!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018