Tensions were on high during an Oval Office meeting Tuesday between President Trump and some congressional Democratic leaders over the funding for a wall at the U.S. southern border.
Trump has requested $5 billion in funding for the border wall, which Democrats are having a hard time agreeing with. Rather, they have proposed $1.6 billion for improving existing fencing along the border.
“Tremendous amounts of wall have already been built,” Trump told reporters at the beginning of the meeting. “We don’t talk about that, but we might as well start.”
In regards to the potential shutdown of large portions of the government if Congress fails to pass legislation to keep funding flowing, the president said he would not want to see a shutdown but promised “the wall will get built.”
After a back and forth about votes with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Trump argued with Senator Chuck Schumer over the importance of the wall and increased border security.
“The last time you shut (the government) down you got killed,” Trump told Schumer. “And if it’s not good border security, I won’t take it.”
“If it’s good then, it’s good now,” Schumer shot back, adding that a wall is “wasteful and doesn’t solve the problem.”
“It totally solves the problem,” Trump said.
Read more at the National Review.
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