Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Meets With Democratic Leaders in the Oval Office - December 11, 2018 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:22 (22 sec)

Okay, thank you very much. It's a great honor to have Nancy Pelosi with us and Chuck Schumer with us. And we've actually worked very hard on a couple of things that are happening. Criminal justice reform -- as you know, we've just heard word -- got word that Mitch McConnell and the group, we're going to be putting it up for a vote.

Donald Trump

00:00:22 - 00:00:35 (13 sec)

We have great Democrat support, great Republican support. So, criminal justice reform, something that people have been trying to get -- how long, Nancy? Many years.

Nancy Pelosi

00:00:35 - 00:00:36 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:00:36 - 00:00:55 (20 sec)

Many, many years. Looks like it's going to be passing, hopefully -- famous last words -- on a very bipartisan way. And it's really something we're all very proud of. And again, tremendous support from Republicans and tremendous support from Democrats. And I think it's going to get a very good vote. And we'll see soon enough.

Donald Trump

00:00:55 - 00:01:07 (12 sec)

But it will be up for a vote very shortly. A lot of years they've been waiting for it. The other thing, the farm bill is moving along nicely. And I guess they'll be voting on Friday or so. But pretty close.

Chuck Schumer

00:01:07 - 00:01:07 (0 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:01:07 - 00:01:07 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:01:07 - 00:01:26 (19 sec)

And we think the farm bill is in very good shape. A lot of good things are happening with it, and our farmers are well taken care of. And again, that will be quite bipartisan and it will happen pretty soon. And then we have the easy one, the wall. That will be the one that will be the easiest of all. What do you think, Chuck?

Donald Trump

00:01:26 - 00:01:27 (1 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:01:27 - 00:01:30 (3 sec)

It's called "funding the government," Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:01:30 - 00:01:47 (17 sec)

[Laughs] So we're going to see. But I will tell you, the wall will get built. We'll see what happens. It is not an easy situation because the Democrats have a different view, I think, than -- I can say -- the Republicans. We have great Republican support. We don't have Democrat support. But we're going to talk about that now.

Donald Trump

00:01:47 - 00:02:06 (19 sec)

We're going to see. One thing that I do have to say is: Tremendous amounts of wall have already been built, and a lot of -- a lot of wall. When you include the renovation of existing fences and walls, we've renovated a tremendous amount and we've done a lot of work. In San Diego, we're building new walls right now.

Donald Trump

00:02:06 - 00:02:27 (21 sec)

And we've -- right next to San Diego, we've completed a major section of wall and it's really worked well. So, a lot of wall has been built. We don't talk about that, but we might as well start, because it's building -- it's being built right now, big sections of wall. And we will continue that. And one way or the other, it's going to get built.

Donald Trump

00:02:27 - 00:02:50 (23 sec)

I'd like not to see a government closing, a shutdown. We will see what happens over the next short period of time. But the wall is a very important thing to us. I might put it a different way. Border security is extremely important, and we have to take care of border security. When you look at what happened with the caravans, with the people, with a lot of -- we shut it down; we had no choice.

Donald Trump

00:02:50 - 00:03:11 (21 sec)

We shut it down. But it could be a lot easier if we had real border security. I just want to pay my respects to the Border Patrol agents and officers. They've been incredible. The ICE agents and officers, they've been incredible. And very importantly, our military. Our military went in and they did an incredible job.

Donald Trump

00:03:11 - 00:03:30 (20 sec)

They have been really, really spectacular. A lot of the people that wanted to come into the country, and really, they were to come in no matter how they wanted to come in -- they were going to come in even in a rough way -- many of these people are leaving now and they're going back to their countries: Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and other countries.

Donald Trump

00:03:30 - 00:03:51 (20 sec)

They're leaving. If you noticed, it's getting a lot less crowded in Mexico. And a lot of them are going to stay in Mexico, and the Mexican government has been working with us very well. So we appreciate that. But they haven't been coming into our country. We can't let people come in that way. So that's pretty much it. We're going to talk about the wall.

Donald Trump

00:03:51 - 00:04:09 (18 sec)

I wanted to talk about criminal justice reform, just to let you know how positive that is. I want to talk about the farm bill, how positive that is. And I want to talk about the wall. And I will tell you, it's a tough issue because we are in very opposite sides of -- I really think I can say "border security," but certainly the wall.

Donald Trump

00:04:09 - 00:04:35 (26 sec)

But the wall will get built. A lot of the wall is built. It's been very effective. I asked for a couple of notes on that. If you look at San Diego, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent once the wall was up. El Paso, illegal traffic dropped 72 percent, then ultimately 95 percent, once the wall was up. In Tucson, Arizona, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent.

Donald Trump

00:04:35 - 00:04:51 (16 sec)

Yuma, it dropped illegal traffic 95 to 96 percent. I mean -- and when I say "dropped," the only reason we even have any percentage where people got through is because they walk and go around areas that aren't built. It dropped virtually 100 percent in the areas where the wall is. So, I mean, it's very effective.

Donald Trump

00:04:51 - 00:05:04 (13 sec)

If you really want to find out how effective a wall is, just ask Israel -- 99.9 percent effective. And our wall will be every bit as good as that, if not better. So we've done a lot of work on the wall; a lot of wall is built. A lot of people don't know that. A lot of wall is renovated. We have walls that were in very bad condition that are now in A1 tip-top shape.

Donald Trump

00:05:04 - 00:05:24 (20 sec)

And, frankly, some wall has been reinforced by our military. Our military has done a fantastic job. So the wall will get built, but we may not -- we may not have an agreement today. We probably won't. But we have an agreement on other things that are really good. Nancy, would you like to say something?

Nancy Pelosi

00:05:24 - 00:05:36 (13 sec)

Well, thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to meet with you so that we can work together in a bipartisan way to meet the needs of the American people. I think the American people recognize that we must keep government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything, and that you should not have a Trump shutdown.

Nancy Pelosi

00:05:36 - 00:05:37 (1 sec)

You have the White House --

Donald Trump

00:05:37 - 00:05:38 (1 sec)

Did you say "Trump" -- oh, oh.

Nancy Pelosi

00:05:38 - 00:05:41 (3 sec)

A "Trump shutdown." You have the White House --

Donald Trump

00:05:41 - 00:05:42 (1 sec)

I was going to call it a "Pelosi shutdown."

Nancy Pelosi

00:05:42 - 00:05:47 (6 sec)

You have the Senate. You have the House of Representatives. You have the votes. You should pass it right now.

Donald Trump

00:05:47 - 00:05:54 (6 sec)

No, we don't have the votes, Nancy, because in the Senate, we need 60 votes and we don't have it.

Nancy Pelosi

00:05:54 - 00:05:58 (5 sec)

No, no, but in the House, you could bring it up right now, today.

Donald Trump

00:05:58 - 00:06:05 (7 sec)

Yeah, but I can't -- excuse me. But I can't get it passed in the House if it's not going to pass in the Senate. I don't want to waste time.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:05 - 00:06:08 (3 sec)

Well, the fact is you can get it started that way.

Donald Trump

00:06:08 - 00:06:12 (4 sec)

The House we can get passed very easily, and we do.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:12 - 00:06:13 (1 sec)

Okay, then do it. Then do it.

Donald Trump

00:06:13 - 00:06:16 (3 sec)

But the problem is the Senate, because we need 10 Democrats to vote, and they won't vote.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:16 - 00:06:19 (3 sec)

No, no, that's not the point, Mr. President. The point is --

Donald Trump

00:06:19 - 00:06:20 (1 sec)

It's sort of the point.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:20 - 00:06:22 (2 sec)

-- that there are equities to be weighed. And we are here to have a conversation --

Donald Trump

00:06:22 - 00:06:23 (0 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:23 - 00:06:33 (11 sec)

-- in a careful way. So I don't think we should have a debate in front of the press on this. But the fact is, the House Republicans could bring up this bill, if they had the votes, immediately, and set the tone for what you want.

Donald Trump

00:06:33 - 00:06:40 (6 sec)

If we thought we were going to get it passed in the Senate, Nancy, we would do it immediately. We would get it passed very easily in the House.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:40 - 00:06:43 (4 sec)

No, that's not the point. That's not the point.

Donald Trump

00:06:43 - 00:06:54 (11 sec)

Nancy, I'd have it passed in two seconds. It doesn't matter, though, because we can't get it passed in the Senate because we need 10 Democrat votes. That's the problem.

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:54 - 00:06:58 (4 sec)

Well, again, let us have our conversation --

Donald Trump

00:06:58 - 00:06:59 (1 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:06:59 - 00:07:05 (6 sec)

-- and then we can meet with the press again. But the fact is, is that legislating -- which is what we do --

Donald Trump

00:07:05 - 00:07:06 (1 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:06 - 00:07:14 (8 sec)

-- you begin, you make your point, you state your case. That's what the House Republicans could do, if they had the votes. But there are no votes in the House, a majority of votes, for a wall -- no matter where you start.

Chuck Schumer

00:07:14 - 00:07:23 (9 sec)

That is exactly right. You don't have the votes in the House.

Donald Trump

00:07:23 - 00:07:29 (7 sec)

If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them -- in one session, it would be done.

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:29 - 00:07:30 (0 sec)

Well, then go do it. Go do it.

Donald Trump

00:07:30 - 00:07:33 (3 sec)

It doesn't help because we need 10 Democrats in the Senate.

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:33 - 00:07:36 (3 sec)

No, don't put it on the Senate. Put it on the negotiation.

Donald Trump

00:07:36 - 00:07:43 (7 sec)

Okay, let me ask you this. Just -- and we're doing this in a very friendly manner. It doesn't help for me to take a vote in the House, where I will win easily with the Republicans --

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:43 - 00:07:44 (1 sec)

You will not win.

Donald Trump

00:07:44 - 00:07:47 (3 sec)

It doesn't help to take that vote because I'm not going to get the vote of the Senate.

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:47 - 00:07:50 (3 sec)

Well, don't blame it on the Senate, Mr. President.

Donald Trump

00:07:50 - 00:07:51 (1 sec)

I need 10 senators. That's the problem.

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:51 - 00:07:53 (2 sec)

Mr. President, you have the White House, you have the Senate.

Donald Trump

00:07:53 - 00:07:54 (1 sec)

I have the White House.

Nancy Pelosi

00:07:54 - 00:07:56 (1 sec)

You have the House of Representatives.

Donald Trump

00:07:56 - 00:08:00 (4 sec)

The White House is done. And the House would give me the vote if I wanted it. But I can't because I need --

Nancy Pelosi

00:08:00 - 00:08:00 (0 sec)

But you can't -- you can't --

Donald Trump

00:08:00 - 00:08:01 (1 sec)

Nancy, I need 10 votes from Chuck.

Chuck Schumer

00:08:01 - 00:08:02 (1 sec)

All right, let me say something here.

Nancy Pelosi

00:08:02 - 00:08:07 (4 sec)

Mr. President, let me -- let me just say one thing. The fact is you do not have the votes in the House.

Donald Trump

00:08:07 - 00:08:07 (1 sec)

Nancy, I do. And we need border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:08:07 - 00:08:09 (2 sec)

Well, let's take the vote and we'll find out.

Donald Trump

00:08:09 - 00:08:13 (4 sec)

Nancy. Nancy. We need border security. It's very simple.

Nancy Pelosi

00:08:13 - 00:08:14 (1 sec)

Of course we do.

Donald Trump

00:08:14 - 00:08:14 (1 sec)

We need border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:08:14 - 00:08:15 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:08:15 - 00:08:33 (18 sec)

People are pouring into our country, including terrorists. We have terrorists. We caught 10 terrorists over the last very short period of time. Ten. These are very serious people. Our border agents, all of our law enforcement has been incredible what they've done. But we caught 10 terrorists. These are people that were looking to do harm.

Donald Trump

00:08:33 - 00:08:41 (8 sec)

We need the wall. We need -- more important than anything, we need border security, of which the wall is just a piece. But it's important. Chuck, did you want to say something?

Chuck Schumer

00:08:41 - 00:08:55 (14 sec)

Yeah. Here's what I want to say: We have a lot of disagreements here. The Washington Post today gave you a whole lot of Pinocchios because they say you constantly misstate how much the wall is -- how much of the wall is built and how much is there. But that's not the point here. We have a disagreement about the wall --

Donald Trump

00:08:55 - 00:08:56 (1 sec)

Well, the Washington Post -- [Laughs] --

Chuck Schumer

00:08:56 - 00:09:17 (21 sec)

-- whether it's effective or it isn't. Not on border security, but on the wall. We do not want to shut down the government. You have called 20 times to shut down the government. You say, "I want to shut down the government." We don't. We want to come to an agreement. If we can't come to an agreement, we have solutions that will pass the House and Senate right now, and will not shut down the government.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:17 - 00:09:20 (3 sec)

And that's what we're urging you to do. Not threaten to shut down the government --

Donald Trump

00:09:20 - 00:09:20 (0 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:09:20 - 00:09:20 (1 sec)

-- because you --

Donald Trump

00:09:20 - 00:09:22 (2 sec)

You don't want to shut down the government, Chuck.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:22 - 00:09:23 (1 sec)

Let me just finish. Because you can't get your way.

Donald Trump

00:09:23 - 00:09:25 (2 sec)

Because the last time you shut it down you got killed.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:25 - 00:09:37 (12 sec)

Yeah. Let me say something, Mr. President. You just say, "My way, or we'll shut down the government." We have a proposal that Democrats and Republicans will support to do a CR that will not shut down the government. We urge you to take it.

Donald Trump

00:09:37 - 00:09:38 (1 sec)

And if it's not good border security, I won't take it.

Nancy Pelosi

00:09:38 - 00:09:39 (1 sec)

It is good border security.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:39 - 00:09:40 (1 sec)

It is very good border security.

Donald Trump

00:09:40 - 00:09:43 (3 sec)

And if it's not good border security, I won't take it.

Nancy Pelosi

00:09:43 - 00:09:45 (2 sec)

It's actually what the border security asked for.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:45 - 00:09:46 (0 sec)

It's what the border --

Donald Trump

00:09:46 - 00:09:51 (5 sec)

Because when you look at these numbers of the effectiveness of our border security, and when you look at the job that we're doing with our military --

Chuck Schumer

00:09:51 - 00:09:51 (1 sec)

You just said it is effective.

Donald Trump

00:09:51 - 00:09:53 (2 sec)

Can I be -- can I tell you something?

Chuck Schumer

00:09:53 - 00:09:54 (2 sec)

Yeah, you just said it's effective.

Donald Trump

00:09:54 - 00:09:57 (3 sec)

Without a wall -- these are only areas where you have the walls.

Chuck Schumer

00:09:57 - 00:09:58 (1 sec)

We want to do this --

Donald Trump

00:09:58 - 00:10:00 (2 sec)

Where you have walls, Chuck, it's effective. Where you don't have walls, it is not effective.

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:00 - 00:10:03 (3 sec)

Wait a second. Let's call a halt to this.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:03 - 00:10:03 (0 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:03 - 00:10:17 (14 sec)

Let's call a halt to this. We've come in here as the first branch of government: Article I, the legislative branch. We're coming in, in good faith, to negotiate with you about how we can keep the government open.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:17 - 00:10:17 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:17 - 00:10:19 (2 sec)

We're going to keep it open --

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:19 - 00:10:20 (1 sec)

The American --

Donald Trump

00:10:20 - 00:10:21 (1 sec)

-- if we have border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:21 - 00:10:21 (0 sec)

The American --

Donald Trump

00:10:21 - 00:10:22 (1 sec)

If we don't have border security, Chuck --

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:22 - 00:10:22 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:22 - 00:10:23 (1 sec)

-- we're not going to keep it open.

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:23 - 00:10:24 (1 sec)

I'm with you. We are going to have border security.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:24 - 00:10:25 (1 sec)

And it's the same border –

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:25 - 00:10:25 (0 sec)

Effective border security.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:25 - 00:10:27 (2 sec)

You're bragging about what has been done.

Donald Trump

00:10:27 - 00:10:28 (1 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:10:28 - 00:10:36 (8 sec)

We want to do the same thing we did last year, this year. That's our proposal. If it's good then, it's good now, and it won't shut down the government.

Donald Trump

00:10:36 - 00:10:38 (2 sec)

Chuck, we can build a much bigger section with more money.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:38 - 00:10:39 (1 sec)

Let's debate --

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:39 - 00:10:39 (0 sec)

We have taken --

Chuck Schumer

00:10:39 - 00:10:40 (1 sec)

Let's debate in private.

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:40 - 00:10:42 (2 sec)

We have taken this conversation --

Chuck Schumer

00:10:42 - 00:10:43 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:43 - 00:10:43 (0 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:10:43 - 00:10:43 (0 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:10:43 - 00:10:46 (3 sec)

-- to a place that Is devoid, frankly, of fact. and we can dispel that.

Donald Trump

00:10:46 - 00:10:48 (2 sec)

We need border security. And I think we all agree that we need border security.

Chuck Schumer

00:10:48 - 00:10:49 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:49 - 00:10:50 (0 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:10:50 - 00:10:50 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:10:50 - 00:10:54 (4 sec)

See? We get along. Thank you, everybody.

Question

00:10:54 - 00:11:00 (6 sec)

[Inaudible], Mr. President. You say border security and the wall. Can you have border security without the wall? There's a commonality on border security.

Donald Trump

00:11:00 - 00:11:03 (3 sec)

No, you need the wall. The wall is a part of border security.

Question

00:11:03 - 00:11:04 (1 sec)

Are you re-defining what it means to have border security?

Chuck Schumer

00:11:04 - 00:11:04 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:04 - 00:11:10 (6 sec)

Yeah. We need border security. The wall is a part of border security. You can't have very good border security without the wall, no.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:10 - 00:11:17 (7 sec)

That's simply not true. That is a political promise. Border security is a way to effectively honor our responsibilities.

Chuck Schumer

00:11:17 - 00:11:23 (6 sec)

And the experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn't solve the problem.

Donald Trump

00:11:23 - 00:11:25 (2 sec)

It totally solves the problem.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:25 - 00:11:27 (2 sec)

Again, but I don't want to take this --

Donald Trump

00:11:27 - 00:11:29 (2 sec)

And it's very important.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:29 - 00:11:40 (11 sec)

Unfortunately, this has spiraled downward from -- we came at a place to say, "How do we meet the needs of American people who have needs?" The economy has -- people are losing their jobs. The market is in a mood. Our members are already [Inaudible].

Donald Trump

00:11:40 - 00:11:44 (4 sec)

Well, we have the lowest unemployment that we've had in 50 years.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:44 - 00:11:53 (9 sec)

Sixty people of the Republican Party have lost -- are losing their offices now because of the transition. People are not -- the morale is not --

Donald Trump

00:11:53 - 00:11:55 (2 sec)

And we've gained in the Senate. Nancy, we've gained in the Senate.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:55 - 00:11:55 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:11:55 - 00:11:57 (2 sec)

Excuse me. Did we win the Senate?

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:57 - 00:11:57 (0 sec)

-- is not [Inaudible].

Donald Trump

00:11:57 - 00:11:58 (1 sec)

We won the Senate.

Nancy Pelosi

00:11:58 - 00:12:03 (4 sec)

When the President brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble.

Donald Trump

00:12:03 - 00:12:04 (1 sec)

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:04 - 00:12:05 (1 sec)

Let me say this.

Donald Trump

00:12:05 - 00:12:06 (2 sec)

We did win North Dakota.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:06 - 00:12:13 (7 sec)

This is the most unfortunate thing. We came in here in good faith, and we are entering into this kind of a discussion in the public view.

Donald Trump

00:12:13 - 00:12:14 (1 sec)

But it's not bad, Nancy.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:14 - 00:12:16 (1 sec)

Let us -- no, but it's --

Donald Trump

00:12:16 - 00:12:17 (1 sec)

It's called transparency.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:17 - 00:12:27 (10 sec)

I know. But it's not transparency when we're not stipulating to a set of facts. And when we wanted to have a debate with you about saying we'd confront some of these facts --

Donald Trump

00:12:27 - 00:12:28 (1 sec)

You know what? We need border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:28 - 00:12:29 (0 sec)

-- without saying to the public, "This isn't true."

Donald Trump

00:12:29 - 00:12:36 (7 sec)

That's what we're going to be talking about: border security. If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government. This country needs border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:36 - 00:12:36 (1 sec)

We agree with that.

Donald Trump

00:12:36 - 00:12:39 (2 sec)

The wall is a part of border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:12:39 - 00:12:39 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:12:39 - 00:12:42 (4 sec)

Let's have a talk. We're going to get the wall built and we've done a lot of wall already.

Question

00:12:42 - 00:12:45 (2 sec)

Mr. President, how big a part of border security is the wall? Is that the --

Donald Trump

00:12:45 - 00:12:46 (1 sec)

It's a big section. It's a big part of it.

Question

00:12:46 - 00:12:47 (1 sec)

Is it everything that you need?

Donald Trump

00:12:47 - 00:12:58 (10 sec)

It's a big part of it. We need to have effective border security. We need a wall in certain parts -- no, not in all parts -- but in certain parts of a 2,000-mile border, we need a wall.

Question

00:12:58 - 00:12:59 (1 sec)

How much money, Mr. President?

Donald Trump

00:12:59 - 00:13:03 (4 sec)

We are doing it much under budget. We're actually way under --

Question

00:13:03 - 00:13:04 (1 sec)

[Inaudible] this conversation.

Donald Trump

00:13:04 - 00:13:09 (5 sec)

-- budget on the areas that we've renovated and areas that we've built. I would say if we got --

Question

00:13:09 - 00:13:09 (0 sec)

Do you still need the --

Donald Trump

00:13:09 - 00:13:13 (4 sec)

-- if we got $5 billion, we could do a tremendous chunk of wall.

Question

00:13:13 - 00:13:13 (0 sec)

Is that mandatory?

Question

00:13:13 - 00:13:18 (5 sec)

Would you accept less though? And are your guests conversely willing to offer more?

Donald Trump

00:13:18 - 00:13:32 (14 sec)

Well, we're going to see. We're going to see. Look, we have to have the wall. This isn't a question; this is a national emergency. Drugs are pouring into our country. People with tremendous medical difficulty and medical problems are pouring in, and in many -- in many cases, it's contagious. They're pouring into our country.

Donald Trump

00:13:32 - 00:13:52 (19 sec)

We have to have border security. We have to have a wall as part of border security. And I don't think we really disagree so much. I also know that, you know, Nancy is in a situation where it's not easy for her to talk right now, and I understand that. And I fully understand that. We're going to have a good discussion and we're going to see what happens.

Nancy Pelosi

00:13:52 - 00:13:52 (0 sec)

Mr. President --

Donald Trump

00:13:52 - 00:13:53 (2 sec)

But we have to have border security.

Nancy Pelosi

00:13:53 - 00:14:03 (9 sec)

Mr. President, please don't characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting as the Leader of the House Democrats who just won a big victory. But let me --

Chuck Schumer

00:14:03 - 00:14:05 (2 sec)

Elections have consequences, Mr. President.

Nancy Pelosi

00:14:05 - 00:14:05 (0 sec)

Let me just say --

Donald Trump

00:14:05 - 00:14:08 (3 sec)

That's right. And that's why the country is doing so well.

Nancy Pelosi

00:14:08 - 00:14:29 (21 sec)

Let me say this: What the President is representing in terms of his cards over there are not factual. We have to have to an evidence-based conversation about what does work, what money has been spent, and how effective it is. This isn't about -- this is about the security of our country. We take an oath to protect and defend, and we don't want to have that mischaracterized by anyone.

Nancy Pelosi

00:14:29 - 00:14:30 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:14:30 - 00:14:31 (1 sec)

I agree with that.

Nancy Pelosi

00:14:31 - 00:14:32 (1 sec)

-- that we are --

Donald Trump

00:14:32 - 00:14:34 (2 sec)

No, no I agree with that.

Nancy Pelosi

00:14:34 - 00:14:49 (15 sec)

-- we are [Inaudible]. So let us have a conversation where we don't have to contradict, in public, the statistics that you put forth but instead can have a conversation about what would really work and what the American people deserve from us at this uncertain time in their lives, where they have apprehension.

Chuck Schumer

00:14:49 - 00:14:55 (6 sec)

The one thing I think we can agree on is we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute. And you want to shut it down. You keep talking about it.

Donald Trump

00:14:55 - 00:14:58 (3 sec)

I -- no, no, no, no, no. The last time, Chuck, you shut it down --

Chuck Schumer

00:14:58 - 00:14:59 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:14:59 - 00:15:00 (1 sec)

-- and then you opened it up very quickly.

Chuck Schumer

00:15:00 - 00:15:00 (0 sec)

Twenty times. Twenty times.

Donald Trump

00:15:00 - 00:15:02 (2 sec)

And I don't want to do what you did. But, Chuck --

Chuck Schumer

00:15:02 - 00:15:07 (5 sec)

Twenty times you have called for, "I will shut down the government if I don't get my wall." None of us have said --

Donald Trump

00:15:07 - 00:15:08 (1 sec)

You want to know something?

Chuck Schumer

00:15:08 - 00:15:08 (1 sec)

You've said it.

Donald Trump

00:15:08 - 00:15:09 (1 sec)

Okay, you want to put that on my --

Chuck Schumer

00:15:09 - 00:15:10 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:10 - 00:15:10 (1 sec)

Chuck Schumer

00:15:10 - 00:15:11 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:11 - 00:15:21 (10 sec)

You know what I'll say: Yes, if we don't get what we want, one way or the other -- whether it's through you, through a military, through anything you want to call -- I will shut down the government. Absolutely.

Chuck Schumer

00:15:21 - 00:15:22 (1 sec)

Okay. Fair enough. We disagree.

Donald Trump

00:15:22 - 00:15:24 (2 sec)

And I am proud -- and I'll tell you what --

Chuck Schumer

00:15:24 - 00:15:24 (0 sec)

Donald Trump

00:15:24 - 00:15:41 (18 sec)

I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn't work.

Donald Trump

00:15:41 - 00:15:42 (1 sec)

I will take the mantle of shutting down.

Nancy Pelosi

00:15:42 - 00:15:42 (0 sec)

That is [Inaudible].

Donald Trump

00:15:42 - 00:15:44 (1 sec)

And I'm going to shut it down for border security.

Chuck Schumer

00:15:44 - 00:15:44 (0 sec)

But we believe you shouldn't shut it down.

Donald Trump

00:15:44 - 00:15:46 (2 sec)

Okay. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.

Nancy Pelosi

00:15:46 - 00:15:46 (0 sec)

[Inaudible] shut down the government.

Question

00:15:46 - 00:15:47 (1 sec)

Chief of Staff?

Question

00:15:47 - 00:15:48 (2 sec)

Have you picked a Chief of Staff, Mr. President?

Donald Trump

00:15:48 - 00:16:17 (28 sec)

Thank you very much. Yeah, we're interviewing a lot of -- we have a lot of great people for Chief of Staff. A lot of people want the job. A lot of people want the job. And I have some great people. A lot of friends of mine want it. A lot of people that Chuck and Nancy know very well want it. I think people you'd like.

Donald Trump

00:16:17 - 00:16:23 (6 sec)

We have a lot of people that want the job -- Chief of Staff. So we'll be seeing what happens very soon. We're in no rush. We're in no rush.

Question

00:16:23 - 00:16:24 (2 sec)

Why? Why no rush, Mr. President?

Donald Trump

00:16:24 - 00:16:42 (17 sec)

Why? Because we have a wonderful Chief of Staff right now. Just no -- we are in no rush. Over a period of a week or two, or maybe less, we'll announce who it's going to be. But we have a lot of people that want the position. Thank you very much everybody. Thanks.