Thread: Trump asked Pelosi why everyone wants to impeach him, source says

Trump asked Pelosi why everyone wants to impeach him, source says

By Fin Gomez
Updated on: January 5, 2019 / 11:12 AM / CBS News

Washington - More descriptions of the heated exchanges between President Trump and congressional Democratic leaders during their two-hour meeting Friday are emerging – and the partial government shutdown wasn't the only topic on Mr. Trump's mind. Though the president later described the meetings over border security as "productive," Democratic leaders told reporters afterward that the discussions had been "contentious."

According to a source familiar with the meeting, Mr. Trump initiated the talks – held for the second time this week in the White House Situation Room – by lambasting the shutdown impasse and again demanding $5.6 billion for border security, which he declared to be the minimum figure he needed to build the southern border wall he has been promising since his presidential campaign.

But Democratic leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, again refused to consider that number. The president then told them he was willing to continue to the shutdown "for months or even years" unless the Democrats agreed to what he says is crucial funding for the southern border.

"I did say that. Absolutely, I said that," Mr, Trump later confirmed at a press conference, when CBS News' Major Garrett asked him if he had in fact told them that he'd keep the government shut for "years."

During the meeting, Mr. Trump also brought up the topic of impeachment, railing against calls by some Democrats to impeach him, according to a source familiar with the exchange.

"Why does everyone want to impeach me, Nancy?" Mr. Trump asked.

No one wants to impeach you, Pelosi told the president and tried to move the focus of the meeting back to border security. Although one freshman Democrat, Rashida Tlaib, had said of the president to a group of progressives this week, "We're going to impeach the motherf*****."

Mr. Trump also tried unsuccessfully to appeal to Pelosi's Roman Catholic faith in arguing for wall funding.

"The Vatican has walls. The Vatican has walls surrounding the city," Mr. Trump said, according to the source. "You like the Vatican, Nancy?"

"Let's change the subject, sir," Pelosi replied.

It was not the first time the president has brought up the Vatican walls as a comparison in their discussions, administration sources said. The president mentioned the Vatican during their meeting earlier in the week, too.

A source familiar with the exchange said the president respects Pelosi and was just kidding with her to make a point. But she seemed to take the comment "not well."

Pelosi and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen also had a contentious interaction over the border security facts that Nielsen presented during the meeting, an administration official confirmed. As she did during an earlier meeting in the week, Pelosi interrupted Nielsen's presentation and challenged facts she cited about the southwest border.

"These aren't my facts," Nielsen replied." They are just facts."

Staff-level negotiations involving Vice President Mike Pence are expected to continue through the weekend as the partial government shutdown enters its third week.

Rebecca Kaplan and Nancy Cordes contributed to this report.
First published on January 5, 2019

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-a...m-source-says/

LOL!! Good one, are the Pope and his Walls "immoral", Nancy??

These behind closed doors back room negotiations need to end! Everything needs to be out in the open. The American public loses each time DC officials make plans away from public, media, and Congressional oversight.

DemoQuacks aren't going to fund the wall. It's all an act in futility in my opinion. Government shutdown was a huge mistake.

Originally Posted by Judy

DemoQuacks aren't going to fund the wall. It's all an act in futility in my opinion. Government shutdown was a huge mistake.

This wasn't a fight Trump could ignore. Even you know that. Caving on the issue would have been a death kneel to his reelection chances in 2020.

I don't care about his re-election in 2020. This is wrong now. Trump will win re-election with what he's accomplished, not on a stupid government shutdown that went nowhere and got nothing. When I talk about a suicide mission, I'm not talking about Trump, I'm talking about our mission. This is a suicide of our mission, not Trump's re-election chances. In my opinion.

Corey Lewandowski on Judge Jeanine just laid it straight out like I've been saying. Nothing is coming from Congress. President has to deal with his agency and military budgets and build the wall with that, like he planned to do all along, and if there's a lawsuit to stop it, then take it to the US Supreme Court.

I love Corey Lewandowski.

So, end this stupid shutdown now. This is not a fight, it's a suicide mission, not for Trump, for our mission. It's a charade, a farce, and needs to end right now. When Dems and Friends raise their ugly putrid heads to try to stop Trump from having the military build the wall, THAT is when those of us who want to stop illegal immigration rise up and attack the Dems and Friends.

To tuck his tail between his legs and raise a white flag of surrender at such an early stage would be the real suicide. Not all of Trump's voters are as forgiving as you, especially when it comes to the security of our nation.

You understand that all the agencies responsible for the national security of our nation are shut down or partially so by the shutdown, right? How does that protect our nation? How does that serve our national interest? How is that to the benefit of any citizen of this country? It doesn't and it isn't. It's a big mistake that needs to be righted immediately.