Donald Trump Walks out of Meeting to End US Government Shutdown
Donald Trump called his budgetary meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer "a total waste of time". This after the US President walked out of discussions.
US President Donald Trump has on the 19th day of the US government shutdown indicated that talks with Democratic Party leaders had broken down and there seemed no end in sight as both sides refused to move from their positions. Trump called his meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer "a total waste of time".
This after the US President walked out of discussions. He tweeted out soon after saying, “Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. 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 bye-bye, nothing else works!"
Trump’s walk-out has been called a temper tantrum by Democrat Party leaders. "Unfortunately, the President just got up and walked out," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "He asked Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, 'Will you agree to my wall?' She said no. And he just got up and said, 'Then we have nothing to discuss,' and he just walked out. Again, we saw a temper tantrum because he couldn't get his way, and he just walked out of the meeting."
Donald Trump wants the Congress to pass a budget bill that includes a $5 billion allowance to build a “border wall” now “steel barrier” without which he refuses to sign any other budget bill. This means that an estimated 8 lakh US government workers will not receive their salaries this week. Nancy Pelosi, who assumed the chair of the speaker of the House of Representatives, said the unpaid federal employees were "collateral damage" to Donald Trump. "The president seems to be insensitive to that," she said. "He thinks maybe they could just ask their father for more money. But they can't."
Before the meeting began Trump was reportedly in a good mood. The US President passed out candy to attendees -- Butterfinger and Baby Ruth bars as well as M&M's. However, the talk soon became heated. When Chuck Schumer reportedly stressed the importance of opening up the government and then negotiating on border security funding from there and asking Trump, "Why won't you open the government and stop hurting people?"
Trump responded bluntly, "Because then you won't give me what I want."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 10, 2019 07:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).