Trump bickers with Dem leaders, threatens gov't shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arguing heatedly in public with Democratic leaders, President Donald Trump threatened repeatedly today to shut down the government if Congress doesn't provide the money he says is needed to build a wall at the Mexican border.

The president insisted the military can build it if Democrats won't vote for the funding.

Trump's comments came as he opened a contentious meeting with Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, with the government looking at a possible partial shutdown Dec. 21 when funding for some agencies will expire.

Schumer and Pelosi both said legislation to keep the government open and provide additional border security could pass both houses of Congress, but Trump said major wall funding was necessary.

Schumer said, "You say 'my way or we'll shut down the government.'" Trump responded that border security was necessary and a wall was necessary for border security.

"Yes, if we don't get what we want ... I will shut down the government," he declared.

Constantly interrupting, Trump squabbled with the Democrats over whether wall funding could be approved in the House or Senate without Democratic votes.

"This has spiraled downwards," Pelosi said.

The president asked whether Republicans had won the Senate in the November election.

"When the president brags he has won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble," retorted Schumer with a smile.

In a series of tweets earlier today, Trump said immigration and border patrol agents and thousands of active-duty service members he sent to the border have done a "FANTASTIC" job. But he said "A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution."

Trump said he looked forward to meeting with Schumer and Pelosi, but claimed they don't want border security for "strictly political reasons."

"If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!" Trump said.

Schumer and Pelosi said Monday that Republicans have the power to keep the government open since they control Congress and the White House.

"Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown," they said in a statement, adding that Trump "knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement."

Republican congressional leaders have repeatedly said it's up to Trump to cut a deal with Democrats, an acknowledgment of their inability to produce spending bills with Republican votes alone.

That gave Democrats some momentum heading into the closed-door talks, which also could veer into bipartisan bills on criminal justice reform and reauthorizing farm programs.

By far, the biggest unresolved issue is the border wall. Trump wants the next funding package to include at least $5 billion for it, an idea Democrats have flatly rejected.

Pelosi and Schumer have urged Trump to support a bill that includes a half-dozen government funding bills largely agreed upon by lawmakers, along with a separate measure that funds the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Sept. 30. The homeland bill includes about $1.3 billion for fencing and other security measures at the border.

If Trump rejects that, Democrats will likely urge a continuing resolution that funds all the remaining appropriations bills at current levels through Sept. 30, an aide said. The aide was not authorized to discuss strategy by name and requested anonymity.