President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a missile launched by North Korea will encourage Democratic lawmakers to work with the White House.
Trump was scheduled to meet Tuesday with House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Pelosi and Schumer decided not to go to the White House meeting after Trump attacked them in a morning tweet.
“Meeting with ‘Chuck and Nancy’ today about keeping government open and working. Problem is they want illegal immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked, are weak on Crime and want to substantially RAISE Taxes,” Trump wrote. “I don’t see a deal!”
The meeting still went on without the Democrats and Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room that a missile launch Tuesday by North Korea brings a sense of urgency before a looming Dec. 8 government shutdown.
“They should be calling immediately and saying we want to see you,” Trump said.
Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters that North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that went “higher frankly than any previous shots” taken by the regime.
Mattis added that North Korea’s continued effort to develop weapons “endangers world peace, regional peace and certainly the United States.”