Donald Trump has escalated his government shutdown threat over funding for his proposed Mexico border wall at a heated White House meeting with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
The president said during the open-press session: “If we don’t have border security, we’ll shut down the government.”
He said his long-promised wall will be built one way or another, and earlier pledged that the military would build it if Democrats blocked the funding.
Government funding for some agencies is set to expire on December 21, threatening a partial shutdown.
Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi have urged the president to find another solution, with Mr Schumer saying: “We shouldn’t shut down the government over a dispute.”
Mr Trump responded by saying he would be “proud to shut down the government”, and that he would “take the mantle”.
Mr Pelosi noted the meeting’s acrimony, saying: “This has spiralled downwards.”
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