Democratic leaders in Congress ripped President Donald Trump and his Oval Office speech Tuesday night, saying he should end the government shutdown now and continue the immigration debate after.
Moments after Trump finished his speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer appeared on Capitol Hill to deliver a rebuttal with the government shutdown — which began over a disagreement related to border wall funding — in its third week.
"Trump must stop manufacturing the [border] crisis and reopen the government," Pelosi said.
Schumer spoke next and was even more descriptive of how Democrats feel about Trump's desire for a border wall — which he has since changed to a see-through barrier made of steel slats.
After criticizing Trump's idea of "an unnecessary and ineffective border wall," Schumer said the president "preys on fear, not facts, division, not unity."
Schumer called for Trump to sign bipartisan legislation that would reopen the government and withhold funding for a border barrier so that the debate can be continued when the entire government is back to work and getting paid.
"Separate the shutdown from arguments over border security," he said. "There's bipartisan legislation . . . to reopen the government."