President Trump threatened to shut down the government during a contentious and openly hostile meeting with Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer in the Oval Office Tuesday. The meeting, which took place in front of reporters and television cameras, centered around the ongoing dispute over funding for Trump’s border wall.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “The fact is, you do not have the votes in the House.”
President Donald Trump: “Nancy, I do. And we need border security.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “Well, let’s take the vote, and you’ll find out.”
President Donald Trump: “Nancy, Nancy, we need border security. It’s very simple.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “Of course we do.”
President Donald Trump: “We need border security.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi: “We do.”
President Donald Trump: “People are pouring into our country, including terrorists. We have terrorists. We caught 10 terrorists over the last very short period of time. Ten!”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “We want to do the same thing we did last year this year. That’s our proposal. If it’s good then, it’s good now, and it won’t shut down the government.”
President Donald Trump: “If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through a military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “OK, fair enough.”
President Donald Trump: “Absolutely. And I am proud.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: “We disagree. We disagree.”
President Donald Trump: “And I’ll tell you what: I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck.”
Trump and Congress will have to agree on a spending bill by December 21 in order to avert a shutdown.