During a contentious meeting in the Oval Office between President Trump and Democrat leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, Trump reminded the latter of her lack of power in the negotiation process.
Pelosi reminded of fleeting relevance
The President and the heads of the Democrat Party were negotiating over whether or not they could reach a deal on border wall funding. Trump is currently asking for at least $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Chuck Schumer has agreed to a fraction of that cost. (RELATED: President Trump Warns of Illegal Immigration Dangers Ahead of Pelosi and Schumer Meeting.)
Nancy Pelosi was there because…oh wait…why was Pelosi there?
The government is currently set to run out of funds a few days before Christmas. That means the Republican Congress has to pass a spending bill. Republicans still hold power in the House. To get the border wall funding he desires, Trump needs to turn enough Democrats in the Senate to reach the 60 vote threshold. Currently, there are only 51 Republican senators.
Pelosi has no control over this. She will come the new congressional session. But not yet.
Plus, she’s in the middle of a campaign to be the next Speaker of the house. She has to watch her words, lest she upset the liberal base.
Pelosi humiliated
Trump’s a shameless negotiator, so he was sure to point this out:
President Trump: “Nancy’s in a situation where it’s not easy for her to talk right now.”
House Minority Leader Pelosi: “Mr. President, please don’t characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting.” https://t.co/rVAHFqGGPE pic.twitter.com/QO80v3vmck
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 11, 2018
Pelosi clearly didn’t like that.
Chuck Schumer’s deceitful grimace
Speaking of revealing reactions, check out how Chuck Schumer reacted when Trump took ownership of any impending government shutdown. (RELATED: Trump Confirms: He’s ‘Proud to Shut Down the Government for Border Security’.) It’s downright diabolical.
.@realDonaldTrump: “I’m proud to shutdown the government for border security because the people of this country don’t want criminals, people who have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country.” #BuildThatWall #BorderWall #BorderSecurity #MAGA pic.twitter.com/PSn7lIHFRv
— Stephanie Hamill (@STEPHMHAMILL) December 11, 2018
Democrats think they have Trump over a barrel on the border wall. They think that if they deny him his wall on this spending go-around, that’ll be it. Once Democrats seize control of the House, there will be no border wall funding.
Of course, Trump has thought of that. It’s why he promised to build the wall with the military if necessary. (RELATED: Trump Confirms the U.S. Military Will Construct the Border Wall if Democrats Refuse Funding.)
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In the end, I suspect Trump will get what he wants. Pelosi and Schumer will suffer the consequences of not defending our country.