Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, held a joint press conference on Thursday evening, following the announcement of Secretary of Defense James Mattis' resignation.
Schumer advised President Trump to abandon his shutdown strategy, reminding Trump that Senate Republicans likely do not have the votes to pass funding for the border wall, which Trump initially promised would be paid for by Mexico.
Schumer said unequivocally that Senate Democrats would not support a spending bill that includes the $5 billion President Trump has demanded the construction of a border wall.
Schumer went on to blame Trump for the impending shutdown, citing Trump’s previous admission that he would “be proud” to shut down the government in an effort to make good on his border wall campaign promise.
"President Trump has thrown a temper tantrum and now has us careening towards a Trump shutdown over Christmas," Schumer said. "In a short time, the Senate will take part in a pointless exercise to demonstrate to our House colleagues and the president what everyone here already knows: There are not the votes in the Senate for an expensive, taxpayer-funded border wall.
"So, President Trump, you will not get your wall," Schumer added. "Abandon your shutdown strategy. You're not getting the wall today, next week, or on January 3 when Democrats take control of the House."
The wall was one of Trump's divisive campaign promises. A stopgap bill without border wall funding would push the spending fight to the new year when Democrats will have a majority in the House and Pelosi will likely be Speaker of the House, making it harder to pass funding for the border wall.
