President Trump said Sunday he discovered how “very rigid” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is during the month long government shutdown over negotiations for money to build his border wall.
The president told CBS Ms. Pelosi’s inability to give the nation proper border security is doing a disservice to the country, referencing the amounts of drugs and human trafficking being conducted through the southern border.
“I think she is very bad for our country. She knows that you need a barrier. She knows that we need border security. She wanted to win a political point,” Mr. Trump said.
“I happen to think it’s very bad politics because basically she wants open borders. She doesn’t mind human trafficking or she wouldn’t do this,” he added.
The president hasn’t taken off the table his ability to shutdown the government again if he doesn’t get the funds he wants to continue to build a barrier — or his option to declare a national emergency to work around Congress.
But Sen. Richard Shelby, Alabama Republican, who has been leading Congressional negotiations on Capitol Hill wants the president to wait and see what can be worked out between the two parties.
“We will have to see what will happen. The president hasn’t specifically said he is going to invoke the emergency powers,” Mr. Shelby told CNN. “What we would like to do is to do it in the appropriations process.”
Mr. Trump will give his State of the Union address Tuesday and is expected to again plea with lawmakers over the need for a border barrier.
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Source:Washington Times
