Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi emerged from their meeting with President Trump at the White House Friday over the government shutdown to address reporters. Asked if any progress had been made, Pelosi said, "some." She explained they now have "a better understanding of each other's position, when you eliminate some possibilities."
Yet, both sides seem glued to their arguments over the border wall. Trump wants $5 billion in border security to build the wall. The Democrats say no way. They voted for a couple of bills Thursday that give $1.3 billion for border upgrades, not including a wall.
Schumer, however, said that Trump told them he was prepared to keep the government closed for a long time, "months or even years."
Schumer says Trump threatened to keep the government closed “for months or even years,” following a closed-door meeting with him and Pelosi.
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) January 4, 2019
“It’s very hard to see how progress will be made unless they open up the government” pic.twitter.com/5PRTkc70K3
Schumer used a personal example to explain how the shutdown is affecting federal workers. He explained that a fire dispatcher in upstate New York whose wife is pregnant needs a loan for a new house and the FHA can't approve it as the government remains shuttered.
President Trump took a bit of a different tone while addressing reporters in the Rose Garden. He called his meeting with the Democratic leadership "productive." They differ on how to assure border security, but they "all want government open," the president said.
The impasse over the border has kept the government closed for two weeks now.