GOP strategist predicts Trump will ultimately declare a state of emergency because he is obsessed with his base

GOP strategist Evan Siegfried told MSNBC on Monday that Democrats could come to a funding deal with President Donald Trump, but it would likely depend on the mood of the notoriously mercurial executive.

Host Stephanie Ruhle asked Siegfried if "the politics have changed enough" that Trump would be willing to negotiate, noting that it was only "the true alt right" that was goading the president into open conflict over the border.

"It depends upon what side of the bed he wakes up on," replied Siegfried wryly. "We've seen the president time and time again say I'm going to do something and then the base goes crazy and he pulls the rug out." He added that there was a deal in place until "the president heard from Mark Meadows [R-NC] and the Freedom Caucus as well as Ann Coulter and other voices in conservative media."

"He likes that sort of placebo effect of having his base adore him, he's never going to get that middle who's frustrated," Siegfried added by way of explanation, and predicted that Trump would ultimately declare a state of emergency and punt to the courts, which are widely expected to strike it down. "That gives him the political out to say, 'see, I tried to get you that wall, but it's those dang activist judges who stopped you.'"

"It's going to be more and more of the stupid and the complete gridlock in government," he concluded. "Donald Trump can scuttle the whole thing."

Watch the video below.