Trump storms out of wall meeting
WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump stormed out of talks with Democratic congressional leaders yesterday over funding for a border wall with Mexico and reopening the government, complaining the meeting at the White House was ‘‘a total waste of time.’’
On the 19th day of a partial government shutdown caused by the dispute over the wall, a short meeting that included Trump, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer ended in acrimony.
‘‘Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time,’’ Trump wrote on Twitter. ‘‘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 byebye, nothing else works!’’
Exasperated Democrats called Trump’s behaviour a ‘‘temper tantrum’’ and said the meeting broke down when they refused to commit to funding his proposed southern border wall.
‘‘It was a petulant president of the United States,’’ Pelosi told reporters. ‘‘A person who would say: ‘I’ll keep government shut down for weeks, months or years unless I get my way.’ That’s just not the way democracy works, and so it’s very sad.’’
Schumer said Trump had had ‘‘a temper tantrum.’’
The breakdown could strengthen the possibility that Trump will declare a national emergency to build a wall on the southern border if no deal with Congress can be reached on his request for $US5.7 billion ($NZ8.4 billion) for the project.
Earlier yesterday, Trump said he had the authority to declare a national emergency that would let him pay for the wall with military funds. Vicepresident Mike Pence told reporters Trump was still considering that option.
Shortly after the White House meeting broke up, the Democraticcontrolled House of Representatives passed legislation to end a partial shutdown of the Treasury Department and some other agencies that have been closed since December 22.
But there was no indication that the Senate, controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, would allow a vote on the bill.
Trump attended a meeting of Senate Republicans yesterday and emerged to declare unwavering support for his tough stance.
Asked if he got the impression in the meeting that the shutdown would end soon, Republican Senator Tim Scott said: ‘‘I did not. I think we’re going to be here a while.’’