Graham blocks Trump-backed spending plan, calls it a 'bad deal' as shutdown nears

The Senate has a deal to fund the government, but Republican anger over the nature of the deal, earmarks and what changes could come to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) derailed its progress Thursday night. 

Even though there is a deal backed by the White House that has key Democratic buy-in, there will still be a partial government shutdown this weekend, given that the House must weigh in on the package. 

Graham told reporters as he walked into Thune's office late Thursday night that the package was a "bad deal." 

Once the deal crystallized and Trump publicly announced his support of it, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and his leadership team went to work trying to quell resistance among their ranks Thursday night, but to no avail. 

"Tomorrow's another day, and hopefully people will be in a spirit to try and get this done tomorrow," Thune told reporters as he left the Capitol Thursday night.

Typically, when a package like the Trump-backed proposal is rushed to the Senate floor, it goes through what's known as the hotline process in the Senate. That allows lawmakers to weigh in with approval, concerns, requests for amendments or, in some cases, outright block the package from moving forward. 

Sources familiar with Senate Democrats' planning told Fox News Digital that as of Thursday night, their side of the aisle had not started the process as they waited for Senate Republicans to figure out their next move.

Part of the DHS funding bill included a repeal of a controversial provision that allowed senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during former Special Counsel Jack Smith's Arctic Frost probe to sue for up to $500,000 for each infraction.

Graham has been a strong proponent of the provision, scuttling several attempts by Senate Democrats to repeal it over the last few months. 

"We can find out a way forward, but not this way," Graham said.