Trump Says Government Shutdown Could Last ‘Months or Even Years’

President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, as he is joined by Congressional Republican leaders, after a meeting with Congressional leaders on border security, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, at the White House in Washington, as the government shutdown continues. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin),

President Trump told reporters Friday he was “proud” of the partial government shutdown. “I’m very proud of doing what I’m doing… I don’t call it a shutdown. I call it ‘doing what you have to do for the safety and the benefit of our country,’” Trump said during a press conference in the Rose Garden. “You can call it whatever you want—the Schumer, the Pelosi or Trump shutdown—it doesn’t make any difference to me. They’re just words.” The president also confirmed to reporters that he did tell Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) at an earlier White House meeting that the shutdown could last for “months or even years.”

“We made a plea to the president once again: Don’t hold millions of Americans, hundreds of thousands of workers hostage. Open up the government and let’s continue discussions,” Schumer told reporters after that meeting. “He resisted. In fact, he said he’d keep the government closed for a very long time, months or even years.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) echoed Schumer’s sentiments, telling reporters the discussions over border-wall funding should continue when the shutdown ends. “We cannot resolve this until we open up government,” Pelosi said.

Chuck Schumer: "We told the president we needed the government open. He resisted. In fact, he said he'd keep the government closed for a very long period of time. Months or even years." Via ABC pic.twitter.com/5XYOoXH8mo

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 4, 2019

SOURCE: The Daily Beast