A CNN panel on Friday night joked that President Donald Trump's main motivating factor for avoiding a government shutdown before the weekend might have to do with an expensive inauguration anniversary party he'd planned on attending at Mar-a-Lago this weekend.
On Thursday, Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs flagged the existence of the party, which she said carried a price tag of $100,000 per two people. Soon after, however, Trump "adjusted his plans" to accommodate the looming shutdown.
"The president of the United States has a party he wants to go to tomorrow night," host Erin Burnett said. "And as of last night, until it blew up that he had the party, he was still going even if there was a shutdown and then it was sort of delayed."
"He wants to go to Mar-a-Lago! " she exclaimed, noting that the party carries a hefty entrance fee of $150,000-250,000 "depending on what bells and whistles" guests want. "Is that gonna affect his willingness to negotiate?"
The comment drew laughs from her panelists, including pro-Trump Republican Stephen Moore.
"You know, Erin, I hadn't thought about that personal self-interest perspective," CNN commentator Keith Boykin said, "but it wouldn't surprise me if that would have an impact on Donald Trump."
Watch below, via CNN: