President Trump will meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the Situation Room today as the two sides resume negotiations aimed at reopening the federal government, which has been partially shuttered for 19 days now. Last night, the president and the Democratic leaders took their cases directly to the public in highly anticipated prime-time remarks broadcast across all major networks and cable news outlets. Both Trump and the Democrats ended their speeches by demanding the other side bring an end to the shutdown. The Memo: Takeaways from Trump's Oval Office address. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the situation at the border represents a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" that can only be solved by Congress allocating $5.7 billion for a steel barrier along the border. The president stopped short of saying he'd use emergency war powers to circumvent Congress by redirecting money from the military to build the wall. Rather, he cast the border as a pipeline for drugs, violent criminals and human trafficking. "Thousands of more lives will be lost if we don't act now. This is a humanitarian crisis — a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul." – Trump Bottom line: Democrats are more united than Republicans on the shutdown and while Trump didn't declare a national emergency Tuesday night, that option has not been taken off the table. It could be Trump's only way out without caving. The Hill: Trump describes border wall as a "choice between right and wrong." Pelosi and Schumer followed, standing side-by-side for rebuttals. The Speaker called Trump's remarks "full of misinformation and malice" and blamed his policies for deepening the "humanitarian challenge" at the border. Pelosi also highlighted the impact of the shutdown on federal workers and those who rely on government services. "The fact is, President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation — many of them veterans." — Pelosi Schumer described the president as a child who shut the government because he didn't get what he wanted. "We don't govern by temper tantrum. No president should pound the table and demand to get his way or else the government shuts down." — Schumer Meanwhile, pressure is rising on the president to come up with an endgame, as new cracks appear in the GOP coalition. Trump and Vice President Pence will head to Capitol Hill to meet with Senate Republicans today. The Hill: Pence urges Republicans to stand with Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is refusing to bring House-passed legislation that fully funds the government up for a vote, but at least three Republicans in his caucus are calling for a vote to reopen the government without additional funding for the wall. The Hill: GOP senators skeptical of using national emergency for wall money. House Republicans are growing restless, too. Rep. Mac Thornberry (Texas), the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday he does not support using military funds to build the wall. And Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Will Hurd, a Republican who represents a Texas district along the U.S.-Mexico border, have each vented their frustrations with the shutdown and Trump's demands for wall money. Conservative groups, such the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the network of groups affiliated with billionaire conservative Charles Koch, are also calling for an end to the shutdown, as are bipartisan governors' and mayors' groups from across the country, where the shutdown's impact is being felt. The polling is moving against the president as he prepares for a Thursday trip to McAllen, Texas, for an event at the border. Reuters/Ipsos: The shutdown is unpopular, and a majority of Americans blame Trump. PRRI: A majority of Americans oppose building a wall along the southern border. Politico/Morning Consult: 42 percent believe the U.S. faces a border "crisis" due to illegal immigration. |