Minutes after a heated and unprecedented standoff with President Trump in the Oval Office, House Minority Leader (and likely future speaker) Nancy Pelosi reconvened with colleagues in a Democratic caucus committee meeting.
“It’s like a manhood thing for him. As if manhood could ever be associated with him. This wall thing,” Pelosi said, as recounted by an aide in the meeting who was not authorized to comment publicly, according to the Washington Post.
Pelosi reportedly said she was "trying to be the mom" in the room when she and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., debated border security with Trump, which led the president to threaten a government shutdown.
"I am proud to shut down the government for border security," Trump said during the meeting. "I will be the one to shut it down, I’m not going to blame you for it.”
According to the aide quoted by the Post, Pelosi said it was an "accomplishment" to get Trump to own the idea of a government shutdown.
“The fact is, we did get him to say, to fully own, that the shutdown was his,” Pelosi reportedly said. “That was an accomplishment.”
Pelosi's wild encounter with Trump on Tuesday was one for the history books. Trump once again threatened a shutdown unless he can get billions of dollars for his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down,” Trump declared.
“The fact is that you do not have the votes in the House,” Pelosi rebuked.
“Nancy, I do," Trump replied.
Schumer chimed in and said Trump was threatening a shutdown "because you can’t get your way.”
Trump threw a jab at Schumer over a previous shutdown, saying, “The last time you shut it down you got killed," referring to the minority leader's political reputation.
Twitter had a field day with such an exchange, with many users noting Vice President Mike Pence's stony silence during the discussion.
Pelosi provided more details on the altercation later, and told reporters she wanted to start the meeting off with a prayer to help both parties reach an agreement and negotiate kindly.
“I told [Trump] about King Solomon, when he was to become king of the Jews, he prayed to God, he said, ‘How can I ever follow King David?'” she said. “‘I need you to give me great understanding and wisdom, Lord.’ And after he prayed and prayed and prayed, God came to him and said, ‘Solomon, because you did not ask for longevity, great wealth or vengeance against your enemies, I will give you more wisdom than anyone has ever had.'”
“It had everything to do with [letting] us be prayerful, listen to each other and have an understanding of where people are coming from,” she added.
She added however that Trump seemed "obsessed" with the border wall, and couldn't stop talking about it.
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