ALBANY, N.Y. — Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said he's hoping President Donald Trump won't make good on a threat to shut down the federal government over funding for a border wall.
Schumer's comments Friday at an Albany news conference came days after a tense Oval Office meeting with Trump and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, when Trump pressed the two Democrats to provide financial support for the border wall and threatened a government shutdown if they didn't agree.
Congress and Trump have until Dec. 21 to reach agreement on a spending bill to keep the federal government running.
"I feel like we're making some progress," Schumer told reporters in Albany.
"We gave the president two ways that we can both have border security and not shutdown the government and I think they're seriously considering them now."
Contentious meeting
Schumer and Pelosi, D-California, were at the center of the contentious meeting with Trump, which was in full view of the press.
The meeting quickly became adversarial with the Republican president saying he would be "proud" to shut down the government if Democrats refused to provide $5 billion in funding for a southern border wall.
More: Schumer: Feds haven't done enough to investigate limo safety
More: Schumer helps secure federal approval for Rochester anti-zombie home program
House Republicans have agreed to provide the funding for the wall —a key platform of Trumps 2016 campaign.
Senate Democrats, however, have refused to agree to a $1.6 billion measure that would repair already existing border fences and fund more advanced security measure along the southern border.
“If we don’t get what we want ... we will shut down the government," Trump said Wednesday.
Shutdown threat
Schumer on Friday called the president's threat "very unfortunate" and said a government shutdown would be "a very bad thing."
"I hope he won't," Schumer said regarding the president's threat.
"We have a disagreement as to what's the best border security, but don't hold these people hostage," Schumer said referring to thousands of federal of workers around the state.
Schumer, who wrapped up his 62 county tour of the state this week, said Tuesday's Oval Office meeting came as a surprise.
The meeting, which has since gone viral on social media, was supposed to take place behind closed doors, according to Schumer.
"I thought, 'If this is the great negotiator, this is no way to negotiate,'" he said of the meeting.
