Special to WorldTribune.com

Jeffrey T. Kuhner

Donald Trump has suffered the greatest defeat of his presidency. No matter how much his administration tries to spin it, the budget deal is a major setback for Trump’s America First agenda.

The $1.1 billion omnibus spending bill is a victory for Democrats and establishment Republicans. In fact, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer cannot contain his glee. He has bragged that congressional Democrats succeeded in “blocking funding for all of Trump’s priorities.” Schumer is correct. The White House got steamrolled.

There will be no money to start construction of the southern border wall. In fact, House Speaker Paul Ryan was so determined to prevail against this signature Trump issue that the bill expressly forbids even a cent of the $1.5 billion allocated to bolstering border security from going towards building a wall.

Moreover, . . .

• There is no funding for a deportation force, which Trump promised would be created to begin deporting millions of illegal immigrants.
• There is no cut in federal funding to sanctuary cities — despite threats from both Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
• Trump’s budget plan sought to rollback wasteful spending on domestic agencies, such as the EPA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead, the deal not only fully funds the EPA, but actually adds $2 billion more to the NIH.
• Overall, the Democrats wrestled $5 billion more in domestic spending from the Ryan Republicans than they did under President Obama.

In short, Trump got nothing; the Democrats got everything.

The GOP’s capitulation, however, was even more complete. For years, Republicans have vowed to defund Planned Parenthood — up to the point of threatening a government shutdown. Under the spending bill, Planned Parenthood is fully funded.

Think about it: A Republican budget provides a gusher of taxpayer dollars to help pay for the murder of unborn babies, but refuses to pay for a wall that will protect America from the invasion of Third World illegal aliens.

The bill is not just a GOP surrender. It is a betrayal.

Ryan’s spending measure represents the revenge of the establishment.

Ryan is a RINO globalist, who staunchly opposes Trump’s populist-nationalism. Almost everything Trump supports — the wall, cracking down on sanctuary cities, defunding Planned Parenthood, domestic spending cuts and restoring national sovereignty — Washington’s ruling class wants to block.

Ryan is not Trump’s ally; rather, he is the president’s mortal enemy. And by dangling the threat of a government shutdown, Ryan bamboozled and ultimately, outmaneuvered the president.

This budget is one that Obama would have happily celebrated. It primarily benefits the donor class, corporatist elites and Democratic constituencies. Trump’s voters, however, are given the shaft.

Trump’s biggest mistake has been to embrace Ryan and the GOP leadership.

Ryan is the swamp. He embodies the special interests, political corruption and mendacity that Trump’s Middle American revolution seeks to sweep away. The Republican-Democrat spending bill does not drain the swamp. It only adds to the swamp. And if Trump is not careful, it will swallow his agenda — and presidency.

This is why Ryan must be replaced.

It’s time for new House Republican leadership. The person to succeed him is Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. He is not just one of the articulate leaders of the House Freedom Caucus. He is a principled populist conservative.

Jordan ferociously opposes Ryan’s budget boondoggle. More importantly, he is guided by one seminal idea: Republicans should uphold their promises to voters. For too long, Establishment RINOS have said one thing at election time and done the very opposite in Washington.

Conservatives are rightly sick of it. And we will no longer accept it.

Trump needs — and deserves — an honest partner in Congress he can work with.

Ryan is not that man; Jordan is. He is a fighter and a straight-shooter (much like Trump himself). Jordan also understands that Republicans will lose their congressional majority unless they begin implementing an America First agenda.

If a wall is not being built by the 2018 midterm elections, the GOP will go down in flames.

Mr. President, you have been forewarned: Your continued embrace of Ryan will spell your political doom.

Jeffrey T. Kuhner is a columnist at WorldTribune.com and the host of “The Kuhner Report” weekdays 12-3 pm EST on WRKO AM-680 in Boston.