Nancy Pelosi praised after she and Chuck Schumer spar with Donald Trump in impromptu televised confrontation
Cameras were rolling inside the White House on Tuesday during a meeting between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., California Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to discuss border security.
Trump threatened to shut down the government if Democrats and Republicans couldn’t reach an agreement to fund the border wall, whereas Schumer and Pelosi hoped Trump would agree to one of their proposed solutions.
What resulted was an unorthodox debate among the trio that involved interruptions, accusations and visible frustration.
Despite pleas from Pelosi and Schumer to send the press away so they could debate behind closed doors, Trump kept the conversation going. And along with refusing to let the press leave, Trump refused to accept anything less than his border wall proposal.
“If it’s not good border security, I won’t take it,” Trump said of their proposed solutions. “If we don’t have border security, we’ll shut down the government. This country needs border security. The wall is part of border security.”
Many praised Pelosi for her patience and poise while standing up to Trump.
That scene of @realDonaldTrump and @VP getting punked by @NancyPelosi and @SenSchumer today was priceless.
— Shane McFarland (@mcfarlands412) December 11, 2018
@NancyPelosi was the badass DRAGON 🐉, in the room, SPITTING FIRE 🔥 at @realDonaldTrump without ANY fear, or doubt, with FACTS, and INTELLIGENCE! @SenSchumer threw a few heavy HITS at CHUMP TRUMP, before hitting him with a KNOCKOUT 💣 , in the end.
— Apache_Five (@Apache_Five) December 11, 2018
Today you and @SenSchumer won my respect. Schooling Trump in his own house, on national television….THANK YOU.
— Leah J (@SwoonTheMoon) December 11, 2018
Some on Twitter thought the president showed great leadership in the meeting and supported his stance on border security.
Excellent. A government prostituted by @SenSchumer and @NancyPelosi as an open border sanctuary cannot nor should not stand. If Pelosi and Schumer will not support border security, which includes a wall, then the government should shut down.
— j (@itmatters2me) December 11, 2018
@NancyPelosi @SenSchumer we want the #Wall Mexico has a wall on most of it's southern border, we need a wall!! It is NOT immoral to protect our borders and enforce our laws!
— KMGPHD (@kmgilyard) December 11, 2018
Look how hard @NancyPelosi and @SenSchumer fight transparency. #BuildTheWall #BuildTheWallNow #BuildTheDamnWall BTW I have no problem with a govt shutdown. #ShutItDown https://t.co/9CprkHbiro
— Mary Shaw (@marychicagoland) December 11, 2018
Shut down! Obama punished the GOP by shutting down all the parks and vet monuments. Trump isn't vindictive; he's just right!
— Flavia Eckholm (@FlaviaArt2) December 11, 2018
People went wild over a photo of Pelosi leaving the meeting that quickly made the internet rounds as well.
This Picture of Nancy Pelosi leaving the White House today is ICONIC. Sums up the meeting. pic.twitter.com/PZePbD8dw4
— del. (@dilemmv) December 11, 2018
Exiting the White House, @NancyPelosi is wearing her Orange You Sorry You Started This Fight Coat. pic.twitter.com/QjUfLvdTJZ
— Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) December 11, 2018
"The art of the deal" –@NancyPelosi pic.twitter.com/1udwgnQLpE
— Jeremy Dickey (@JeremyDDickey) December 11, 2018
Nancy Pelosi leaving the Oval Office today is a mood. pic.twitter.com/ViXw3BoCen
— Steven Soto (@stevenhardn) December 11, 2018
After the meeting, Pelosi explained why she and the Senate minority leader wanted to have the debate behind closed doors.
“We didn’t want to contradict the president when he was putting forth figures that had no reality to them, no basis in facts,” Pelosi said. “I didn’t want to, in front of those people say, ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’”
Watch the Fox & Friends First segment that may have spawned Donald Trump’s “smocking gun” tweet:
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