TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Remarks At Press Conference After Trump Cancelled Bipartisan Shutdown Meeting, Warning Americans That President Trump Is Barreling The U.S. Towards A[...]

Washington, D.C. - Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today held a press conference after President Trump threw a tantrum and cancelled his meeting with Democratic leadership to talk about funding the government, careening the country closer to a Republican-led shutdown. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today seems to be tantrum day for Donald Trump. First, ranting about Democrats as he pulls out of our negotiations and then ranting at the United Nations in front of the whole world, embarrassing America. Once again, Donald Trump has shown the American people he is not up to the job. It's a very simple job: sit down and negotiate with the Democratic leaders and come to an agreement. But he just ain't up to it. He runs away before the negotiations even begin. This is not leadership. This is not what the American people want or deserve.

Donald Trump can't even negotiate a budget bill with Democrats. This "great negotiator." The kind of meeting we wanted to have, that he just pulled out of, it's the kind of thing every president has to do, plain and simple. By refusing to even sit down with Democrats, Donald Trump is causing the shutdown. This is a Trump shutdown, and he's barreling right towards it right now.

And he knows he's going to be blamed for the shutdown - he's even said it himself. Let me tell you what Donald Trump has said in the past. He said, "I actually think the president would be blamed" for a shutdown. He's right. He also said the president "has to get people in a room and you just have to make deals for the good of the country." That's Trump - he ain't doing it. He's not up to this job, plain and simple.

So, Mr. President, do your job. Stop ranting. Stop these long diatribes that mean nothing to anyone. Get people in a room and let's hammer out a deal. We Democrats are ready to work together to keep the government open for the good of the country and the good of the American people. But Donald Trump is ducking his responsibility as president. He says Democrats have a radical agenda. Really? Really? Tell the American people what's radical about protecting America's healthcare. Tell the American people what's radical about preventing their healthcare premiums from going up $400 a month. If Donald Trump thinks that's radical, it's no wonder the American people are turning against his agenda and his numbers and popularity gets lower and lower. The American people don't like that Trump would rather have a shutdown instead of working to get relief for them. It's reckless, it's irresponsible, plain and simple.

Trump seems to want to shut down the government because he thinks he should make all the decisions. Donald Trump, you're not a king. You're not a king. The way this country works, you got to sit down with people you may not agree with, come to an agreement, come to a negotiation. Donald Trump is not a king, he's the president and he has a responsibility to work to avoid the Trump shutdown.

And time is of the essence. Starting October 1st, millions of Americans are going to have sticker shock when they get notification that their healthcare bills are going up $400 a month - that's close to $5,000 a year. The average family, even fairly affluent family, has a rough time affording an extra $5,000. Without action, Americans are going to face staggering spikes in their healthcare bills. And we Democrats are fighting for them. It's the difference between a family being able to make the mortgage payment and having healthcare. But instead of working with us, Trump rants and raves. He runs away, he hides, he ignores. That's not strength - that's weakness. And this is going to be Donald Trump's shutdown.

Democrats are ready to work with the president. We're willing to sit down with him today, tomorrow - we'll even come to the golf course and sit down with him. Wherever he wants to do, that's okay. We know Donald Trump watches a lot of television. Mr. President, if you're watching television, shut it off and come sit down and negotiate with us.

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