OVAL OFFICE FIGHT: President Trump, Chuck Schumer And Nancy Pelosi ARGUE Over Border Wall Funding

President Trump clashed Tuesday with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi with the cameras rolling in the Oval Office, as the president insisted he's willing to let the government shut down if Congress doesn't approve funding for his U.S.-Mexico border wall.

"If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government," Trump said.


The highly anticipated sit-down quickly escalated, in public, as Trump allowed the press to attend the start of it. Trump began by repeatedly telling Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, that what she's proposing would not pass the Senate.

Schumer then raised his voice as he claimed the Senate could pass measures to keep the government running regardless.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––



"If it's not good [on] border security, I won't take it," Trump shot back.

Pelosi and Schumer repeatedly urged the president to take the meeting private, but not before he declared he's "proud to shut down the government for border security" and will "take the mantle."

Pelosi noted, "this has spiraled downwards."

The explosive meeting with Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and Pelosi came hours after Trump threatened Tuesday to have the military “build the remaining sections” of the wall if Congress doesn’t deliver the funding. Vice President Mike Pence was also in attendance.

As Trump began discussing the details of the negotiations, Pelosi said, "I don’t think you should have a debate in front of the press." At another point, Schumer said: "Let's debate in private.”

Trump and Schumer also exchanged zingers over recent midterm elections.

“Elections have consequences, Mr. President,” Schumer said.

“And that’s why the country is doing so well,” the president shot back.

Schumer jabbed Trump over boasting that Republicans kept control of the Senate.

“When a president brags that he’s won Indiana and North Dakota, he’s in real trouble,” Schumer said.

“We did!” Trump replied. “We did win.”

Congress last week temporarily averted a partial shutdown amid the funeral services for the late President George H.W. Bush, pushing the new deadline to Dec. 21. But border wall funding remains the sticking point as Trump and congressional leaders try to hammer out a government spending package. Trump wants $5 billion for the project, while Democrats are offering $1.3 billion for border security.

Earlier, Pelosi and Schumer put out a joint statement Monday arguing Trump and his party will own a government shutdown if they can’t strike a deal.

"Republicans still control the House, the Senate and the White House, and they have the power to keep government open," they said. "Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown," the Democrats said, adding that Trump "knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement."

Trump said Friday that Congress should provide all the money he wants for the wall and called illegal immigration a "threat to the well-being of every American community."