President Trump denied slamming the table at his Wednesday meeting with congressional leaders, accusing Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of lying about the incident.
“Cryin Chuck told his favorite lie when he used his standard sound bite that I ’slammed the table & walked out of the room. He had a temper tantrum,’ ” Mr. Trump tweeted Thursday morning. “Because I knew he would say that, and after Nancy said no to proper Border Security, I politely said bye-bye and left, no slamming!”
Mr. Trump stressed to reporters before departing for Texas that he didn’t get upset during the meeting.
“I didn’t pound the table. I didn’t raise my voice,” he said. “I don’t have temper tantrums. I really don’t.”
Both the president and Republicans and Democratic leaders gave their versions of how the shutdown meeting deteriorated and criticized the other side’s behavior. Democrats accused Mr. Trump of having a “temper tantrum” while Republicans said Democrats were the ones being caustic.
All agreed, however, there was nothing accomplished in the short meeting.
The president maintained that the Republican stance remains firm and blamed the “Fake News Media” for portraying it as anything other than that.
“There is GREAT unity with the Republicans in the House and Senate, despite the Fake News Media working in overdrive to make the story look otherwise,” he tweeted. “The Opposition Party & the Dems know we must have Strong Border Security, but don’t want to give “Trump” another one of many wins!”
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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