President Trump announced the country's strong economic numbers in the Rose Garden Friday. He's "very proud" of the jobs numbers and the "strong wage growth." But, what everyone really wanted to hear was the president's response to his meeting with top Democrats over border security and the government shutdown.
Trump called his meeting with Democratic leadership "productive." They differ on how to assure border security, but they "all want government open," the president said.
Over 20,000 minors were brought alone across our border and were interdicted by border patrol personnel, Pence noted.
GOP leader Kevin McCarthy agreed the meeting was much more productive than earlier meetings Republicans have had recently with the Democrats: "There are areas we can find agreements on."
Yet, in the Democrats' presser just a few moments before, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi called the meeting with the president, "contentious." Schumer also noted that Trump said the government may remain shuttered "for weeks and even years."
Trump admitted to making that remark, yet added, "I hope it doesn't go on even a few more days."
Trump insisted his administration can't do the job "without a major, powerful barrier." The Democrats refuse to offer one penny for a wall.
Trump said he is meeting with a group over the weekend to determine what they're going to do about the border. One item on their agenda is make ports of entry "bigger, more powerful, and able to handle more traffic." The drugs pouring into this country, they don't go through the ports of entry. That alone costs $400 million.
Vice President Mike Pence followed Trump up to the podium and offered some numbers to highlight the crisis at the border, particularly in terms of drugs and human trafficking.
When a reporter asked Trump if he's still proud to own the shutdown, the president noted he doesn't call it a shutdown.
"I call it doing what you have to do for the benefit and for the safety of our country."
Trump also responded to Rep. Rashida Tlaib's (D-MI) profanity-laced speech against him, in which she called him a "mother f***ker" and demanded his impeachment.
"I thought her comments were disgraceful," the president said. "I think she dishonored herself. And I think she dishonored her family."
"I thought it was highly disgraceful to the United States of America," he added.
About those impeachment proceedings, Trump noted, "You can’t impeach somebody that’s doing a great job."
Join the conversation as a VIP Member