Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Sunday blamed President Donald Trump’s inability to “take yes for an answer” and strike a deal with Senate Democrats to solve the ongoing government shutdown.
Schumer said he “essentially agreed to give the President something he wants in exchange for something we both want” during a meeting on Friday.
“The President picked a number for a wall,” Schumer said, referring to Trump’s proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. “I accepted it.”
After meeting with Trump on Friday, Schumer said that he floated the idea of funding the wall in exchange for continued protection for undocumented immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Schumer on Sunday said his accord with Trump “was only tentative, no handshakes,” and ultimately did not prevent the government shutdown.
“It all really stems from the President, whose inability to clinch a deal has created the Trump shutdown,” Schumer said. “He can’t take yes for an answer. That’s why we’re here.”