Dems: Trump risks government shutdown over border wall

Top Democrats blasted President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump stands by tweets questioning Puerto Rico death toll: 'NO WAY' Trump pushes back on ex-lawyer putting out book, cites 'attorney-client privilege' Wealthiest Republican supporter in Ohio quits party MORE on Monday, accusing him of derailing last-minute funding talks meant to avert a government shutdown by pressing for border wall funding.  

"Our appropriators were well on a path to resolving their differences and finding their common ground, respecting each other's priorities until the White House intervened," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters during a conference call. 
 
Lawmakers have until Friday night to pass legislation keeping the government open after April 28, but they appear increasingly at an impasse with the White House. 
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Trump administration officials doubled down over the weekend on their public demand that Democrats include some funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall in the government funding bill. And Trump has renewed his push for the wall on Twitter, calling it key to "stopping drugs from pouring into our country" in tweets Monday.

Pelosi accused Trump of threatening to take "food out of the mouths of babies and seniors and education, clean air, clean water, scientific research off the table in significant way in order for him to pay for his immoral, ineffective, unwise proposal." 

Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerDemocrats should end their hypocrisy when it comes to Kavanaugh and the judiciary Celebrities back both Cuomo and Nixon as New Yorkers head to primary vote Dems launch million digital ad buy in top Senate races MORE (D-N.Y.) said Monday that if the White House backed away from the government funding talks, lawmakers could meet Friday's deadline.

"I don't think it's inevitable at all," Schumer said, when asked about a short-term continuing resolution that could put off the shutdown and allow for more negotiation. "Parties were negotiating quite well... until Donald Trump and the White House threw a monkey wrench into this, with the wall." 
 
He added that "it's my view that if the president stepped out of it, we could get a budget done by Friday." 
 
Democrats have warned for weeks that they would block any spending bill that included money for the border wall, which they view as a "poison pill" provision. Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass the spending bill in the Senate, and could need help in the House if conservatives refuse to vote for the funding legislation.
 
Border-state Republicans have also voiced public skepticism about whether a physical wall would be effective along parts of the border. 
 
"We believe that the Republican leaders should tell Donald Trump that we can do this at a later time. I don't think it'll pass," Schumer said. "Instead of risking government shutdown by shoving this wall down Congress' and American peoples' throats, the president ought to just let us come to an agreement." 

He added that Democrats would be "happy to debate this wall" after Trump has handed over a plan. Any funding proposal would likely need the support of at least eight Democrats in the Senate to overcome a 60-vote procedural threshold for legislation. 

The joint press call with Schumer, Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez comes as the Trump administration nears its 100th day in office with few legislative accomplishments. Democrats used the conference call to knock Trump for "100 days of broken promises." 

"The most remarkable thing about the first 100 days in my mind is not so much what Donald Trump is trying to do to America, but it is the resistance that has come forth across this country," Perez said. 

Tags Chuck Schumer Donald Trump