Televised Oval Office fight: "I will be the one to shut it down" over border wall

In a contentious televised Oval Office meeting with Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Trump demanded $5.7 billion for his border wall and threatened to shut down the government if he didn't get it. In front of cameras, Trump declared "I am proud to shut down the government for border security ... I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it ... I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down." The extraordinary public admission of responsibility for a potential shutdown was immediately seized upon by Democrats. Trump's belligerent tone and willingness to own the shutdown politically backfired when he followed through 11 days later, triggering what would become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history at 35 days.

"I am proud to shut down the government for border security ... I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it." — December 11, 2018 televised Oval Office meeting with Pelosi and Schumer over border wall funding