Source: Trump tells Schumer he can't accept Dems' offer because he'd 'look foolish'

Authored by edition.cnn.com and submitted by themessias1001

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump told a group of lawmakers he can't accept Democrats' offer to re-open the government as the two sides negotiate border wall funding because he "would look foolish if I did that," according to a person familiar with the exchange.

Trump met with congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle Wednesday amid an on-going partial government shutdown.

The President and Democrats are at odds over funding for a border wall. The House is expected to hold a series of votes to open the government just hours after Democrats take control on Thursday, a Democratic aide confirmed to CNN, but Trump is unlikely to sign anything they approve at this stage.

"Our question to the President and to the Republicans is, 'Why don't you accept what you have already done to open up government?' " asked California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the presumed new House speaker, referring to a bipartisan, Senate-passed funding measure, albeit one Trump has never publicly endorsed.

JUST WATCHED Pelosi's daughter: 'She'll cut your head off' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Pelosi's daughter: 'She'll cut your head off' 01:05

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Trump why the government couldn't be reopened while the two sides work to resolve their differences.

chicago_bunny on January 2nd, 2019 at 23:58 UTC »

The master negotiator has sung this tune before:

During his phone call with Pena Nieto, Trump urged his Mexican counterpart to stop saying that Mexico will not pay for a wall on the southwestern U.S. border.

"You have a very big mark on our back, Mr. President, regarding who pays for the wall," Pena Nieto said. "My position has been and will continue to be very firm saying that Mexico cannot pay for that wall."

Trump responded, "But you cannot say that to the press. The press is going to go with that, and I cannot live with that. You cannot say that to the press, because I cannot negotiate under those circumstances."

He went on, "But the fact is we are both in a little bit of a political bind, because I have to have Mexico pay for the wall. I have to."

He suggested that they publicly say they're still determining who will pay for the wall.

iceblademan on January 2nd, 2019 at 23:33 UTC »

Just as suspected, Trump has no idea how to actually negotiate and has been backed into a corner.

Progressive16 on January 2nd, 2019 at 23:31 UTC »

We passed that road a long time ago.