In heated on-camera clash, Trump bickers with top Democrats on border wall

[webfact]

In heated on-camera clash, Trump bickers with top Democrats on border wall

By Roberta Rampton and Susan Cornwell

 

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as he meets with Schumer and House Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump openly fought with the top two Democratic lawmakers in the Oval Office on Tuesday about government funding, throwing into question whether a deal was possible ahead of a deadline later this month.

 

In a remarkable public argument, the likes of which is seldom seen before cameras, Trump brawled with U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about funding for the wall he has promised to build on the southern border with Mexico.

 

"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," Trump said as the heated argument drew to a crescendo.

 

"I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country," he said before reporters left their ringside seats.

 

Vice President Mike Pence sat beside Trump, silent and stone faced.

 

Congress wants to finalise spending before a Dec. 21 deadline. While Trump's fellow Republicans control the House of Representatives and Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass spending legislation.

 

If the impasse cannot be resolved by Dec. 21, about one-quarter of the federal government immediately would be left without funding. Money for the rest of the government already has been appropriated.

 

Ironically, in boasting he was "proud" to shut down the government for border security, Trump would be shuttering the very agency in charge of border security - the Department of Homeland Security. In past shutdown battles, workers deemed "essential" were instructed to work.

 

Other federal agencies that also would face closures include the departments of State, Commerce and Agriculture, while visitors would not be allowed into federal parks.

 

Trump has asked Congress for $5 billion for border security, while Schumer and Pelosi said they offered to extend funding at current levels, around $1.3 billion. That is less than the $1.6 billion a bipartisan Senate committee approved.

 

When he ran for president in 2016, Trump vowed that a U.S.-Mexico border wall would be built and that Mexico would pay the full cost, an idea the Mexican government never embraced.

 

The meeting did not last long after reporters were ushered out of the Oval Office. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement it was a "constructive dialogue" and said Trump was "grateful" cameras captured him fighting to protect the border.

 

Back on Capitol Hill, Schumer accused Trump of throwing a tantrum but said Trump told the Democrats he would consider their budget proposals, Schumer told reporters.

 

Pelosi, who told reporters she thought the Democrats had left things "in a pretty good place," said she had askedTrump to pray to about resolving the dispute, recounting the biblical story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, told reporters, "I'd still like to see a smooth ending here and I haven't given up hope that's what we'll have."

 

'IT'S CALLED TRANSPARENCY'

This rocky meeting was the first Trump held with Pelosi and Schumer since Democrats won control of the House in Nov. 6 elections, possibly foreshadowing battles to come next year.

 

The fight kicked off when Pelosi told Trump that Americans did not want to see a "Trump shutdown," touching a nerve. Trump cut off Pelosi, arguing that he could not advance a funding bill without Democratic votes in the Senate.

 

"If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them in one session, it would be done," Trump bragged.

 

"Well then - go do it, go do it," Pelosi shot back.

 

Senior White House staff watched the melee from the edges of the room, among them Jared Kushner and IvankaTrump, outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly, immigration adviser Stephen Miller and Shahira Knight, his legislative director.

 

"I don't think we should have a debate in front of the press on this," Pelosi said.

 

"We're doing this in a very friendly manner," Trump said.

 

Then Schumer brought up "Pinocchios" that Trump had been awarded by the Washington Post for misstatements on the issue and accused him of wanting to get his own way.

 

"Let's call a halt to this," Pelosi said as the two went at it. "It's not bad, Nancy - it's called transparency," Trump said.

 

When Pelosi brought up Republican election losses in the House, Trump retorted that his party won the Senate.

 

"When the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble," Schumer said to the astonished press capturing the back-and-forth.

 

Trump said that both sides agreed there was a need for border security.

 

"Yes, we do," Schumer said.

 

"Good," Trump said.

 

"We do," Schumer said.

 

"See, we get along," Trump said.

 

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Susan Cornwell Doina Chiacu, Amanda Becker, David Alexander, Lisa Lambert and Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Morgan; writing by Richard Cowan; editing by Phil Berlowitz and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-12

[Samui Bodoh]

"...When he ran for president in 2016, Trump vowed that a U.S.-Mexico border wall would be built and that Mexico would pay the full cost..."

 

I thought I remembered Trump stating, time and time again, that Mexico would pay for the wall.

 

What happened? Was he lying?

 

Is he a lying liar who lies?

 

Watching events in the US has become a great deal like watching a slow-moving car crash. You want to look away, but you know terrible things are coming and you just can't avert your eyes.

 

I sincerely hope that one day the US returns to being the decent, honest nation that it can be...

 

[stevenl]

'I will shut down this country'. Any questions left who bears responsibility if a shutdown happens?

 

Nice one Chuck ' "When the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble," Schumer said to the astonished press '.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

In a remarkable public argument, the likes of which is seldom seen before cameras, Trump brawled with U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about funding for the wall he has promised to build on the southern border with Mexico.

 

Whoo-boy I spent the better part of the last hour on Twitter watching all the video & commentary on this one - Shumer & Pelosi got owned & exposed so hard it was beautiful. 

 

Good job President Trump, dont let them hide & debate off-camera where they can invent talking-points. Put them on the spot and drag them. 

[stevenl]

6 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Whoo-boy I spent the better part of the last hour on Twitter watching all the video & commentary on this one - Shumer & Pelosi got owned & exposed so hard it was beautiful. 

 

Good job President Trump, dont let them hide & debate off-camera where they can invent talking-points. Put them on the spot and drag them. 

"Whoo-boy I spent the better part of the last hour on Twitter watching all the video & commentary on this one - Shumer & Pelosi got owned & exposed so hard it was beautiful. "

Better watch again without your Trump glasses on, the outcome will be opposite.

[Cryingdick]

Pelosi was saying it would be bad to shut down the government because of the economy and people losing jobs lately. Now unemployment is about as low as it has ever been. She was even saying before we needed all the illegal immigrants because we can't fill the jobs we have.

 

They don't want the wall because once it is built it is permanent. If they allow money for border "security" it can be reversed. They should be up front about this. 

 

It is pretty obvious the plan is to let anybody in because they want the votes later on. Turn those Texas cities that have gone purplish from the recent waves of Californians jumping ship to blue.

 

If the wall wouldn't work they wouldn't care. They are afraid it might work and this would get in the way of the votes they need to eventually crack the electoral college. It certainly isn't a debate over 5 billion lousy dollars. The Democrats would spend that at the blink of an eye on much more frivolous stuff. 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2018 by Cryingdick

[UncleTouchyFingers]

Just now, stevenl said:

Better watch again without your Trump glasses on, the outcome will be opposite.

 

Weird. Seems everyone has already forgotten the SchumerShutdown that we just had at the beginning of the year, and how the Dems folded after what? 2 days? And the Dems took a publicity beating for it. 

 

Now ole Nancy is gonna give it a try & threw the first salvo at Trump trying frame the narrative with "TrumpShutdown" & promptly got dragged. Publicly. 

 

Again, excellent job, Mr President. Keep them in the public eye & show the citizens how little the Top Dems care about border security. 

[Cryingdick]

2 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Weird. Seems everyone has already forgotten the SchumerShutdown that we just had at the beginning of the year, and how the Dems folded after what? 2 days? And the Dems took a publicity beating for it. 

 

Now ole Nancy is gonna give it a try & threw the first salvo at Trump trying frame the narrative with "TrumpShutdown" & promptly got dragged. Publicly. 

 

Again, excellent job, Mr President. Keep them in the public eye & show the citizens how little the Top Dems care about border security. 

 

Pelosi almost jumped out of her chair at the first chance to use the term Trump shut down. It was funny they were so uncomfortable that Trump insisted it was all on camera. 

[JohnOFphon]

Chuck Schumer is a joke....kinda reminds me of Captain Kangaroo...notice how he is constantly looking back at the reports to see is they're with him.

[Hummin]

So tell me what a cosmetic media strategic wall would help for? Stop terrorist from coming in? Drugs? Criminals? Some of you really believe that?

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Pelosi almost jumped out of her chair at the first chance to use the term Trump shut down. It was funny they were so uncomfortable that Trump insisted it was all on camera. 

Tragic you do not see what your president look like. Again, Monthy Python could not have done it better!

[JCauto]

28 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Whoo-boy I spent the better part of the last hour on Twitter watching all the video & commentary on this one - Shumer & Pelosi got owned & exposed so hard it was beautiful. 

 

Good job President Trump, dont let them hide & debate off-camera where they can invent talking-points. Put them on the spot and drag them. 

All in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

 

I am glad though that Donnie has a newfound fondness for transparency. That will be helpful as Mueller and the House start pulling back the curtains on his finances, how compromised he is on the Russians and how many payoffs, tax evasion schemes and various other criminal activities he's been engaged in since running for and being elected.

[Cryingdick]

5 minutes ago, Hummin said:

So tell me what a cosmetic media strategic wall would help for? Stop terrorist from coming in? Drugs? Criminals? Some of you really believe that?

 

What function does a lock have on a door? People can simply break it right? What function does a fence have on a yard? 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

3 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Pelosi almost jumped out of her chair at the first chance to use the term Trump shut down. It was funny they were so uncomfortable that Trump insisted it was all on camera. 

 

Of course they were. Those are two of the most boneheaded Democrats the US has ever produced, and went into that presser with bad intentions & bad faith to try & score their soundbites & jabs so they could go back to the hill & pontificate about it from their soapbox. 

 

And it didn't turn out so well for them at all. 

 

Nancy was so rehearsed it was cringeworthy. Good job dems on your new Majority Leader. You picked a walking zombie with the personality of a condescending grandmother. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

10 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Stop terrorist from coming in? Drugs? Criminals? Some of you really believe that?

 

It will greatly reduce illegal aliens from just waltzing across the border, human trafficking, child trafficking, drug trade, choke cartel money, etc. 

 

 

[bristolboy]

7 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Weird. Seems everyone has already forgotten the SchumerShutdown that we just had at the beginning of the year, and how the Dems folded after what? 2 days? And the Dems took a publicity beating for it. 

 

Now ole Nancy is gonna give it a try & threw the first salvo at Trump trying frame the narrative with "TrumpShutdown" & promptly got dragged. Publicly. 

 

Again, excellent job, Mr President. Keep them in the public eye & show the citizens how little the Top Dems care about border security. 

Yeah, even though Trump's plan for the wall is hugely unpopular, he's going to win by shutting down the government over it.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-voter-analysis

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/11/675334306/poll-americans-want-trump-to-compromise-on-border-wall-amid-possible-shutdown

 

[Cryingdick]

4 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

It will greatly reduce illegal aliens from just waltzing across the border, human trafficking, child trafficking, drug trade, choke cartel money, etc. 

 

 

 

it is astounding that people don't seem to be able to comprehend how a wall is useful for keeping people out. You obviously patrol it in addition. It makes a nice demarcation and anybody climbing it knows they are in the wrong. 

 

Many of the Democrats who oppose it live in these places called gated communities that have guards that patrol them. This takes care of 99% of the problem and it also identifies those crossing the gates as people up to no good so there can be a more appropriate response.

[Hummin]

5 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

It will greatly reduce illegal aliens from just waltzing across the border, human trafficking, child trafficking, drug trade, choke cartel money, etc. 

 

 

Here is your wall, enjoy reading som facts! 

 

http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/2017/09/trumps-wall-maps.html?m=1

 

The wall would not stop a single terrorist or any drug cartels who want to enter your country, neither a kg coke will be missed by any americans. 

 

 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

1 minute ago, Cryingdick said:

 

it is astounding that people don't seem to be able to comprehend how a wall is useful for keeping people out. You obviously patrol it in addition. It makes a nice demarcation and anybody climbing it knows they are in the wrong. 

 

Many of the Democrats who oppose it live in these places called gated communities that have guards that patrol them. This takes care of 99% of the problem and it also identifies those crossing the gates as people up to no good so there can be a more appropriate response.

 

Yeah but liberals think that because the liberal media tells them that its wrong and that "most Americans" don't want it, then it must be true. 

 

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

even though Trump's plan for the wall is hugely unpopular

 

"Hugely unpopular" thing that was a literal staple campaign promise and about as divided as the Dem/Rep polling line. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The wall would not stop a single terrorist or any drug cartels who want to enter your country, neither a kg coke will be missed by any americans. 

 

I think we can all agree that this is just feelings based lie. 

[Cryingdick]

Just now, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

I think we can all agree that this is just feelings based lie. 

 

Again this types of posts are by people who for whatever reason want America to have open borders. They make such posts and also say what is or isn't popular in America regardless off the fact they don't happen to be in the USA. But somehow they know for sure what Americans think of the wall. It's hard to understand why they care so much what the USA spends its money on if they are truly neutral. 

 

Let Pelosi and Schumer spend 6 months on the border near Nogales with no fence and pull out the ICE agents. 

[Hummin]

2 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

I think we can all agree that this is just feelings based lie. 

Let me know one thing, how come your high security jails, is full of drugs? How can you explain that? 

[Cryingdick]

6 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Let me know one thing, how come your high security jails, is full of drugs? How can you explain that? 

 

Because often times guards are paid off and people smuggle drugs in by stuffing them in their anus. Try stuffing a Honduran caravan up your anus. I don't mean that to be overly rude it is an example of how ridiculous these arguments are.

 

Now ask yourself what would happen if the prison had  no walls or security of any kind.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Cryingdick

[bristolboy]

34 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

What function does a lock have on a door? People can simply break it right? What function does a fence have on a yard? 

Ever hear of cost/benefit analysis?

[Chomper Higgot]

9 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

I think we can all agree that this is just feelings based lie. 

I think we can agree you speak for yourself.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

Just now, bristolboy said:

Ever hear of cost/benefit analysis?

 

We spend billions and billions and billions every year on illegal migration. Stemming that flow & the hemorrhaging of cash would pay for the wall itself extremely quickly. 

[Cryingdick]

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Have you ever seen a tunnel? ????

 

Do such tunnels occur naturally with no effort required to build them? Again the wall is in addition to heightened security such as patrols, detection, drones etc. 

 

Yes prisoners can tunnel out of a prison like El Chapo. The fact is 99.9999% don't.

[keemapoot]

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Have you ever seen a tunnel? ????

US Authorities keep discovering tunnels all along the border. Some are very long, highly sophisticated, with lighting and even rail tracks. The wall will not stop drug transport, or terrorists, who can afford to be smuggled in these tunnels. The wall will stop most of the others, but the cost is prohibitive.

[Cryingdick]

4 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

US Authorities keep discovering tunnels all along the border. Some are very long, highly sophisticated, with lighting and even rail tracks. The wall will not stop drug transport, or terrorists, who can afford to be smuggled in these tunnels. The wall will stop most of the others, but the cost is prohibitive.

 

With a wall more time can be spent focusing on finding and identifying smugglers. These people when caught face severe prison sentences.