Pence Sets Record Straight on What Trump Actually Did at Shutdown Meeting With Dems
Vice President Mike Pence denied Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s characterization of Wednesday’s shutdown talks between President Donald Trump and top Democrats as a “temper tantrum” and said the president even passed out candy.
“For those interested — the candy that (Trump) offered at the start of the congressional leadership meeting included Butterfingers, M&Ms, Baby Ruth,” Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim wrote on Twitter Wednesday.
But Trump’s attempt to sweeten the deal was to no avail to Schumer and the Democrats.
“Unfortunately, the president just got up and walked out,” Schumer said according to CNN.
“He asked Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi, ‘Will you agree to my wall?’ She said no,” Schumer said. “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.”
Pence disagreed with Schumer’s statement while talking to reporters.
“Well, the president walked into the room and passed out candy. It was true,” Pence said, according to Fox News Insider.
“I don’t recall him ever raising his voice or slamming his hand.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the same thing.
“The way to come out to this floor and talk about a meeting in a manner that did not take place in there is disturbing to me,” he said, according to Fox News Insider.
“People are hurting. So I tell the Democrats, ‘Get back into the room. Let’s not leave, let’s solve this problem.’ Just as the president said, it doesn’t even take 45 minutes.”
In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said that he left the meeting because it was a “total waste of time.”
“Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time,” he wrote.
“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!”
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019
The aborted talks came a day after Trump’s Tuesday evening national address in the lead-up to his planned visit to the southern U.S. border Thursday.
The partial government shutdown is now the second-longest in U.S. history.
Trump has indicated it could last for months or even a year as he asks for $5.7 billion in funding for a southern border wall.
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