Let’s get ready to rumble! President Trump had a very heated discussion with Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi in an Oval Office stuffed with reporters this morning.
Trump wants approval on a $5 billion budget for the wall, the construction of which was a key campaign promise of his, and is threatening a government shutdown if it doesn’t pass.
But Schumer is only prepared to sign off on $1.6 billion for border security – hence the impasse.
‘There are no votes, in the House, a majority of votes, for a Wall, no matter where you stand,’ Pelosi firmly tells Trump.
‘If I needed the votes for the Wall in the House, I would have them in one session, it would be done. It doesn’t help because we need 10 Democrats in the Senate,’ replies Trump.
‘The fact is, you do not have the votes in the House,’ Pelosi continues.
‘Nancy, I do, and we need border security…Nancy, Nancy, we need border security,’ Trump interjects.
Later in the clip, there’s a livelier bit of crosstalk between the President and the Senate Minority leader:
Schumer: ‘We shouldn’t shut down the government over a dispute and you wanna shut it down, you keep talking about it…’
Trump: ‘I, no, no, no, the last time, Chuck, you shut it down…’
Schumer: ‘…no, no, no…’
Trump: ‘…and then you opened up very quickly…
Schumer: ‘…20 times, 20 times…’
Trump: ‘…I don’t wanna do what you did…’
Schumer: ‘…20 times you have called for, “I will shut down the government if I don’t get my wall”, none of us have said-’
Trump: ‘You wanna know something?’
Schumer: ‘You said it-’
Trump: ‘You wanna put that on my-I’ll take it. You know what I’ll say? Yes. If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through military, through anything you wanna call, I will shut down the government, absolutely-’
Schumer: ‘OK, fair enough.’
Trump: ‘And I am proud-’
Schumer: ‘-we disagree-’
Trump:‘-I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck.’
Watch the bizarre exchange below:
