President Donald Trump clashed with top Democrats over funding for a border wall during a meeting in the Oval Office on Dec. 11, as television cameras captured a rare, dramatic display of tensions that usually play out in negotiations behind closed doors.
Addressing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Trump again threatened to shut down the government unless Democrats agree to provide $5 billion in funding for a wall on the U.S.–Mexico border.
“I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country,” Trump said, toward the end of the public portion of the heated meeting.
“I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn’t work.”
“But we believe you shouldn’t shut it down,” Schumer responded.
Trump’s border-wall proposal is part of a government funding bill, which, if not passed by Congress, would result in a partial government shutdown. While a border wall is Trump’s signature campaign promise, he has been unable to secure the necessary funding, because spending bills require 60 votes in the Senate to pass.
Melania Trump Gives Gifts at Marine Corps Reserve Toy Drive
First Lady Melania Trump participated in the holiday tradition hosted by the United States marine corps at Joint Base Anacostia in Washington on Dec. 11.Trump helped military children at the event make Christmas cards and sort new toys for kids in need.
The first lady donated one-hundred books to Toys for Tots.
Before diving in to the mission at hand, the first lady said she had been looking forward to the event since last year’s ended.
Google Has ‘No Plans’ to Launch a Chinese Search Engine
Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel on Tuesday that the Alphabet unit currently has “no plans” to launch a search engine in China, but did not rule out a future launch.Pichai testified before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
He told U.S. lawmakers in a letter in August that providing such a search engine would give “broad benefits” to China but that it was unclear whether Google could launch the service there.
Pichai told the committee he would be “fully transparent” with policymakers if the company brings search products to China.
Blue Christmas Tree Honors Fallen Officers
The holiday season is the hardest for those who have lost loved ones, especially the fallen officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.As a way to honor those who have died, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department is looking to honor them by decorating a Christmas tree—most people decorate by hanging various ornaments of all shapes and sizes. The department, on the other hand, has something else in mind.
Ornaments, yes—but not just any old ornament—each ornament will have the officer’s name and rank, as well as the ‘end of watch’ date. Each date will be different, as it will be the date when the officers gave their lives in the line of duty.
This year, there will be a total of 137 bulbs—one for each who died this year, including Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett.
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