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Trump publicly clashes with senior Democrats over border wall

Donald Trump has publicly clashed with two senior Democratic leaders at the White House over issu...
Newstalk
Newstalk

18.08 11 Dec 2018


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Trump publicly clashes with se...

Trump publicly clashes with senior Democrats over border wall

Newstalk
Newstalk

18.08 11 Dec 2018


Share this article


Donald Trump has publicly clashed with two senior Democratic leaders at the White House over issues such as the border wall - with Trump insisting he would shut down the government over the issue if necessary.

The US President today met with Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat leader in the House of Representatives, and Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the Senate.

It comes in the wake of last term's mid-term election, which saw Republicans lose control of the House - with Ms Pelosi widely expected to become House speaker once the new term begins in January.

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Having Democrats control the House is likely to prove a major obstacle in the Trump administration's efforts to push forward with key campaign pledges - including the proposed border wall with Mexico.

Speaking to reporters with Pelosi, Schumer and Vice President Mike Pence, President Trump began by saying it was a 'great honour' to have the two Democrats at the White House.

However, despite efforts to make the meeting appear as a bipartisan show of co-operation, there were some tense scenes as the political opponents repeatedly disagreed in front of the cameras before the private meeting.

Mrs Pelosi urged the president not to provoke another government shutdown - describing it as a "Trump shutdown" - by insisting on funding for his proposed border wall with Mexico.

She called on him to pass spending legislation, arguing: "You have the votes - you should pass it right now."

Mr Trump responded: "We don't have the votes - in the Senate we need 60 votes, which we don't have... I can't get it past in the House if we don't have the Senate, I don't want to waste time."

Mrs Pelosi insisted he didn't have the votes in the House for the controversial wall.

Mr Schumer then weighed in, pointing out that Washington Post fact-checkers have repeatedly said the President is lying about how much of the wall is built.

The senator added: "You have called 20 times to shut down the government - we don't. We want to come to an agreement.

"We have a proposal that Democrats and Republicans will support... we urge you to take it... it is very good border security."

However, the president claimed border security is not effective where there is not a wall.

The senate minority leader countered: "The experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn't solve the problem."

Trump again insisted a wall would solve border problems.

Picture by: Evan Vucci/AP/Press Association Images

The three politicians continued to clash for several more minutes, with Trump at one point claiming: "If we don't get what we want, one way or the other... I will shut down the government.

"I am proud to shut down the government over border security [...] I will take the mantle - I will be the one to shut it down."

The meeting then continued in private.


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