White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told “CBS This Morning” Friday that President Trump was “willing to negotiate” with Democratic leadership over funding for the border wall to end the partial government shutdown. She accused Democrats of being “unwilling” to begin the negotiations.
"I'm not going to negotiate in the press, but the president has been willing to negotiate on this point and the Democrats have not been willing to do anything," Sanders said in reference to the $5 billion number Trump had initially demanded in border funding.
"It's a very sad day when we can't get Democrats to even show up for work and sit down with us and have these conversations and try to help make real solutions and get something done," she emphasized.
Sanders accused House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) of being unwilling to negotiate because she is attempting to “protect her speakership.”
"Nobody wants anybody to struggle,” she said. “Nobody wants the government to be closed, that's why we're asking Democrats to sit down and negotiate something they actually support. The real question here is, Nancy Pelosi is only looking to protect her speakership and not protect her borders and that's why she's unwilling to negotiate with us and unwilling to make any type of a deal and unwilling to help do what is necessary."
In a tweet Friday morning, President Trump referred to Democrats as “obstructionist” on the issue and even threatened to shut down the southern border entirely.
We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2018
Pelosi did face criticism Friday for reportedly spending time at a resort in a Hawaii during the shutdown.
President Trump visited troops in Iraq over Christmas and chose to remain in D.C., canceling a planned trip to Florida.