Jared Kushner scrambling behind the scenes to prevent Republicans from ‘defecting’ on Trump’s wall demands: CNN

As the federal government shutdown President Donald Trump called for unless he can get funding for his proposed border wall drags on, aide Jared Kushner has been sent to Congress to lobby Republicans for staying the course, CNN reporter Manu Raju revealed Tuesday.

Jared Kushner believes they can "flip" a Democratic senator to support the wall, Raju reports, so that Trump can claim there is "bipartisan" support for it.

"They're trying to see if they can get at least one Democratic senator for one reason: To make the case that this is bipartisan support for what the president is calling for on the wall," he said. "In addition to that, they're trying to encourage Republicans from not defecting from the president's line. Concern is growing among Republicans here on the Hill that the longer this goes on the more Republicans are bound to defect, particularly as House Democrats plan to push for individual bills to re-open the government."

Kushner has been the president's whip, telling Congressional Republicans that public support will swing to the president after his televised national address and a border visit.

"Jared Kushner, I'm told, from a source familiar with the matter, is making the case privately that after the president's speech tonight, and after he goes to the border on Thursday, that public support will grow toward the Republican side," Raju said.

Watch the segment below.