Olivier Douliery/ZUMA
President Donald Trump walked out of the latest round of negotiations to end the partial government shutdown after Democratic leaders continued to refuse his demands for funds to build a border wall, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday.
Schumer, who along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had just emerged from the White House meeting, slammed Trump for behaving like a child over the impasse. “We saw a temper tantrum because he couldn’t get his way—and he just walked out of the meeting,” Schumer told reporters.
“He thinks maybe they could just ask their father for more money, but they can’t,” Pelosi added, invoking the Trump family’s history of shady tax-avoidance schemes that allegedly cheated the US Treasury Department out of more than $400 million.
As the Democratic leaders addressed reporters, Trump all but confirmed Schumer’s account:
Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy pushed back at Schumer, insisting that Trump had been cooperative in the meeting, even offering “candy” to those in the room. “I want to clarify a few things, as I just listed to Sen. Schumer,” McCarthy said. “I know he complained the time that you had cameras in the meeting, but I think we need to bring them back. Because what he described the meeting to be was totally different than what took place.”
McCarthy would be wise to remember that during that on-camera meeting, the president had proudly claimed he would take full responsibility for a shutdown.
Kevin McCarthy said Schumer mischaracterized Trump's behavior in the meeting. Noted that Trump brought candy, which Schumer DIDN'T EVEN MENTION. pic.twitter.com/yaRs3h9Uhy
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 9, 2019
