Donald Trump tried appealing to the sweet-tooth of his Democratic adversaries, but the gambit apparently didn’t work.
After a contentious closed-door meeting on Wednesday between Trump and the Democratic leaders of Congress ended no closer to a conclusion for the government shutdown, a report emerged claiming that Trump had tried to sweeten the deal by offering the Democrats an array of candies. Trump reportedly offered House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer some M&M’s, Skittles, Butterfingers and Baby Ruths during the meeting, the New York Post reported.
After the meeting, reports claimed the Trump grew angry and slammed his fist on a table when the Democrats informed him that they would not vote to authorize any funding for his border wall, even if Trump re-opened the government. Vice President Mike Pence said that wasn’t true, but did confirm that Trump did try to offer them candy.
“Well, the president walked into the room and passed out candy. It’s true,” Pence said.
“I don’t recall him ever raising his voice or slamming his hand.”
The meeting came a day after Trump made his first-ever prime-time address from the Oval Office, making his case to the American people that a border wall is necessary to protect Americans. Trump had asked for more than $5 billion to fund the wall, and in late December triggered a government shutdown when he vetoed a bipartisan funding measure that would have temporarily kept the government open without the border wall funding.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy disputes Sen. Schumer’s account of meeting with Pres. Trump, saying the president was “calling all the leaders together to solve this problem—he even brought a little candy for everybody.” https://t.co/hYBje3V4LM pic.twitter.com/BrojKim2U7
— ABC News (@ABC) January 9, 2019
Democrats have not budged from their stance, saying they will not offer any funding and reminding Trump that he had repeatedly promised he would make Mexico pay for the wall.
But there could soon be a solution to the ongoing government shutdown that does not include Trump. As CNN reported, Republican members of Congress are working on a wide-ranging immigration reform bill in the hopes of gaining the support of Democrats.
The measure would include help for those who are part of the DACA program and offer relief for immigrants from El Salvador and other countries impacted by the end of the Temporary Protected Status program. Republicans told CNN that the proposal was still in the very early stages, and it was not certain if it would garner enough support to pass and end the government shutdown.
‘I Said Bye-Bye.’ President Trump Walked Out of a Meeting With Top Democrats https://t.co/ld8QWjh5dG
— ryan teague beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) January 9, 2019
The offer of assorted candy apparently hasn’t helped Democrats be any nicer in their approach with Donald Trump. In the hours after the meeting, Schumer repeatedly needled Trump by calling his shutdown a “temper tantrum” and called on Trump to re-open the government.
