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The government is shut down because of Individual 1's ego. And, of course, Republican capitulation to Individual 1's ego. In Thursday's meeting between congressional leadership and Trump, a source tells CNN, incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) pressed Trump on compromising on his border wall, and he said he couldn't agree to their offer because it would make him look "foolish."
"Our question to the president and to the Republicans is, 'Why don't you accept what you have already done to open up government?'" Pelosi said after the meeting. Schumer said he asked Trump whether they could pass the Democrats' plan funding all of the agencies that are currently shut down for the remainder of the year, and provide a month's worth of funding to Homeland Security for border security while they worked out their differences. "I asked him directly ... He could not give a good answer," Schumer said.
Schumer repeatedly asked that, the source says. When he finally got an answer on the third try, no, it wasn't good. "I would look foolish if I did that," Trump told him.
Well, Donald, that ship has sailed. You were jerked around into starting this shutdown—which you took total responsibility for, on camera, with the world watching—by your Freedom Caucus pals. I mean, you came out looking even weaker than Paul Ryan with those guys.