Donald Trump Said He Would Support Republicans Sticking Together To Shut Down The Government Over Obamacare. “Real estate mogul Donald Trump said he supports shutting down the government over legislation to defund Planned Parenthood, adding that the Republican Party could have done the same thing with Obamacare. ‘I would [support a government shutdown], and I was also in support if the Republicans stuck together you could have done it with Obamacare also, but the Republicans decided not to stick together and they left a few people out there like Ted Cruz,’ Trump said on the ‘Hugh Hewitt Show’ on Monday.” [Politico, 8/4/15] DEBT CEILING Donald Trump Said It Was “Worth The Fight” To Use The Debt Ceiling As Leverage To Get Spending Cuts Because “If You Had The Right People There You Could Cut It And You Would Have No Problem Whatsoever.” “HALPERIN: So do you think it's worth playing a game of chicken with President Obama, and not raising the debt ceiling and dealing with the market (INAUDIBLE)? TRUMP: I would say that it's worth the fight, because honestly, there is so much fat in Washington that if you had the right people there you could cut it and you would have no problem whatsoever. And you wouldn't miss a thing.” [Interview CNBC/Dow Jones Business Video, 8/26/15] Donald Trump Said Congress Should Use The Debt Limit As A “Strong Negotiating Tactic.” TRUMP: “Congress should negotiate the debt limit. They should negotiate and use it as a strong negotiating tactic, because they’re not doing that. I heard last night, speaker Boehner: ‘We will never violate the debt limit.’ Now it’s one thing if you believe that, but you don’t say that because the other side now knows that you’re not going to do anything with the debt limit and you have given up such leverage by saying that, and I just don’t understand why would he say that. You have given up such leverage to the Obama side, to the Democrats, because he said ‘We will not violate,’ and I’m saying to myself, ‘Boy, that’s why so many people are so angry.’ So many Republicans, on the other side, the smaller group, but a tough group, they’re not happy about it. So I would use the debt limit to negotiate a great deal. I just don’t know if they’re going to do that. How can you do that when you’ve already announced that you’re not going to violate the debt?” [Capital Download, USA Today, 10/22/15; VIDEO] 2013: Donald Trump Thought Republicans Had Cards To Play In Avoiding A Government Shutdown, But They Needed To Hurry Up, And Ultimately It Was Up To President Obama To Lead. “Real Estate mogul Donald Trump offered some of his expert deal-making advice to Congress on Monday as the clock was ticking on avoiding a government shutdown: Hurry up. ‘I think actually the Republicans have a lot of cards. But if they're going to play those cards, they better play them now,’ said ‘The Art of the Deal’ author. ‘You have the debt ceiling coming up. It's going to be another time. But you can't play it twice as easily.’ … Ultimately, Trump said it's up to President Barack Obama to lead.” [Politico, 9/30/13] PLANNED PARENTHOOD Trump Supported Shutting Down The Government To Defund Planned Parenthood. “Real estate mogul Donald Trump said he supports shutting down the government over legislation to defund Planned Parenthood, adding that the Republican Party could have done the Confidential Page 43