When Trump Stormed Out of a Meeting with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, Calling it a ‘Total Waste’

On January 9, 2019, Donald Trump stormed out of a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, calling the negotiations over the government shutdown "a total waste of time." As tensions rose, Trump's abrupt exit highlighted the rift over border wall funding, raising the prospect of a national emergency.

The meeting, intended to address the lingering government shutdown, quickly devolved into chaos when Trump abruptly walked out, calling the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer a "total waste of time." The breakdown in already strained negotiations over border wall funding heightened fears that Trump would declare a national emergency.

"I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly opened things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!" Trump stated in a tweet after the walkout, per CNBC.

The meeting was tense, with Schumer calling Trump's behavior a "temper tantrum" and Pelosi calling it "unbecoming of a presidency." According to reports, Trump distributed candies - Butterfinger and Baby Ruth bars, as well as M&M's - to attendees in an apparent attempt to sweeten the atmosphere.

Vice President Mike Pence claimed that Trump did not yell or slam his hand. However, Schumer said that Trump used "people as leverage" during the negotiations, reflecting the partisanship that characterized the entire episode.

Trump's question about Democrats' willingness to approve border security, including a wall or steel barrier, within 30 days was a turning point in the meeting. Pelosi's resounding "NO" became a watershed moment, prompting Trump to vent in the now-famous tweet.

Trump's reference to "30 days" was about legislation passed by House Democrats that would fund eight departments through September 30 and reopen the Department of Homeland Security until February 8. Democrats stated that the additional time would provide relief to federal workers while negotiations over the contentious wall continued.

Despite the impasse, Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, rallied behind Trump's demand for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall between the United States and Mexico. As Democrats remained steadfast in their refusal to approve the requested funds, this solidarity increased the likelihood of a prolonged shutdown.

Trump's threat to shut down parts of the government for "months or even years" if his demands were not met added to an already volatile situation. Approximately 800,000 federal employees faced the prospect of missing paychecks due to the shutdown.

Trump hinted at declaring a national emergency to bypass the impasse and allocate funds for the border wall. This contentious tactic, which was even criticized by some Republicans, demonstrated Trump's willingness to go to great lengths to fulfill his campaign promise of a border wall. "We might work a deal and if we don’t I may go that route," Trump said, implying that failure to reach a border security agreement with lawmakers would be the catalyst for such a damaging measure.

On Feb 15, 2019, Trump declared a national emergency on the Mexican border, allowing him to access funds that Congress had previously denied for a wall, as reported by The New York Times. The action turned the policy disagreement into a constitutional power struggle.

Following a lengthy debate with lawmakers, Trump argued that drugs, criminals, and illegal immigration posed a serious national security threat, justifying unilateral action. Although illegal crossings have decreased and critics have stated that he had created a manufactured crisis, Trump admitted, "I didn’t need to do this, but I’d rather do it much faster. I just want to get it done faster, that’s all."