Trump storms out of White House border wall meeting

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U.S. President Donald Trump stormed out of talks with Democratic congressional leaders on Wednesday over funding for a border wall with Mexico and reopening the government, complaining the meeting in 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, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi ended in acrimony with no sign of a resolution.

“A total waste of time,” Trump tweeted about his White House meeting with top Democratic congressional leaders. “I said bye-bye, nothing else works!”

Screenshot from U.S. President Donald Trump's Twitter account. /CGTN Photo

Schumer told reporters that Trump asked Pelosi if she would fund his wall. “She said no. And he just got up and said: ‘Then we have nothing to discuss,' and he just walked out.”

The two sides agreed that the meeting ended abruptly soon after starting but they did not say who was to blame.

Asked what Trump had gained by walking out of the talks, Vice President Mike Pence said: “I think the president made his position very clear today: that there will be no deal without a wall.”

“We heard once again that Democratic leaders are unwilling to even negotiate,” Pence added.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (L), a Democrat from New York speaks to members of the media while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R), a Democrat from California, listens following a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 9, 2019. /VCG Photo

But Schumer said Trump was the one who was intransigent.

The president “sort of slammed the table” and left, Schumer said. “Again, we saw a temper tantrum because he couldn't get his way.”

The breakdown in talks 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 5.7 billion U.S. dollars for the project.

Vice President Mike Pence speaks to the press at the White House in Washington, DC, U.S., January 9, 2019. /VCG Photo

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he had the authority to declare a national emergency that would let him pay for the wall with military funds. Vice President Mike Pence told reporters that Trump is still considering that option.

Shortly after the White House meeting broke up, the Democratic-majority House of Representatives voted to pass legislation to end a partial shutdown of the Treasury Department and some other agencies that have been closed since December 22, without money for the wall.

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters