Reporter the acting chief of staff clearly frustrated by the slow progress being made in these talks to try to reopen the federal government and to give President Trump what hes asking for. The 5. 6 or 5. 7 billion to fund his longpromised border wall. To be specific, those baby steps that you mentioned, according to a source on capitol hill, are essentially the discussion between democrats and republicans today that indicate that democrats just basically asked republicans for an official justification to appropriate eight that 5. 6 billion in border wall spending. Republicans essentially said well get back to you. They promised that they would respond either tonight or tomorrow. Both sides expected to meet again tomorrow. That clearly not enough for the acting chief of staff. Hes make willing the case that democrats are simply trying to stall. Listen to this. I know that Speaker Pelosi had said she didnt want to give even more than 1 to the border wall. President trump has talked abou
Congressional staffers from both parties. The aim, to end the partial Government Shutdown. Now in its third week. The u. S. President warns the shutdown may drag on a year or more unless Congress Funds his border wall. And if they dont, donald trump said that he could get the pentagon to pay for it. Interesting develop. Cnns abby phillip has more from the white house. Reporter a contentious meeting at the white house leading to little progress and threats that the now two week old go. Shutdown could last much longer. You said in the meeting, this is him quoting you, i want to check, that the shutdown could go on for months or even a year or longer. Did you say that and i did. Is that your assessment of where we are . Absolutely i said that. I dont think that it will, but i am prepared. Im proud of doing what im doing. Reporter President Trump challenging democrats, agree to a deal or dn Border Security or might take extreme measures. Have you considered using Emergency Powers to grant
Chris cuomo is off tonight. Topping this hour the shut down the show down over it. The president s take on it today and the human cost of it all. New reports on that. The the president gave a press briefing and said the 800,000 Government Employees are okay with that. He threatened to build the wall without congressional approval. And according to to new reporting he told law make rs he doesnt like the word shut down. But prefers strike. Let that sink in. Lets go to cnn for the latest from capitol hill. What happened today between congressional leader and the president . Where are we at. Nothing prolkt productive. The president said in the meeting when he confirmed later this could go on for potentially years. If this is not resolved to his liking. Theres a fight over process and fight over policy. Democrats made very clear at the meeting they dont want to negotiate on issues about such as the president s wall and other relate td matters. Immigration and the like. Until the government
Whether he can actually do that, lawmakers disagree. I may give that really threatening talk from the president that he doesnt have the power to execute. Look, if harry truman couldnt nationalize the Steel Industry during war time, this president doesnt have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion dollar wall on the boarder so thats a nonstarter. Unfortunately the short answer is yes. There is a provision in law that says the president can declare an emergency. Both of those guys, democrats, mind you, earlier today in washington Vice President mike pence and other Administration Officials met for a second straight day met with congressional aides, many of them democrats, talking about how to navigate their way out of this. This from the president just a few minutes ago. Vice president mike pence, he writes, a group had a productive meeting with the Schumer Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a steel barrie
No money for his border wall. He attempted to calm his base by tweeting this, this was in no way a concession. He says if he doesnt have a deal, or the wall by february 15th, hell declare a National Emergency and get it done that way. Meanwhile, trumps longtime friend was indict eed roger sto and arrested. And indicted of working with the campaign. And the white house and president made it clear that this is not the end of the fight for that border wall. Cnn White House Reporter Sarah Westwood joining us live. We heard there in twitter, obviously, a bit on the defensive about what this really was in his mind. This negotiation, this stepback. What are you hearing from the white house this morning, sarah. Well, christi, President Trump is emerging weakened from a shutdown battle that got him no closer to getting money in the face of sagging approval numbers. Polls show that most americans blame President Trump for the standoff. Hes no closer to fulfilling that Campaign Promise. And after