FOLLOW US

In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi blamed President Donald Trump for the shutdown of government. The government shutdown comes after heated tensions over the provision of funding for the president's promised border wall.

An Overview of Schumer and Pelosi's Statements

Schumer and Pelosi have engaged in fingerpointing and scapegoating with President Trump. At this time, the president is sticking by his demands for $5 billion dollars to fund the creation of a wall along the Southern border. Democrats, however, aren't going for it.

Prior to the latest shutdown, Schumer and Pelosi urged Trump to sign a stopgap bill to prevent the closure of government. The president informed the Democratic leaders that he would not sign any legislation which failed to fund the border wall. This subsequently prompted Schumer and Pelosi to claim that the president would hold responsibility for a potential, forthcoming "Trump Shutdown."

Hours ago, the Congressional Democratic leaders issued the following joint public statement:

"President Trump has said more than 25 times that he wanted a shutdown; now he has gotten what he wanted."

The statement then proceeded to state that Democrats provided the GOP with options to prevent a government shutdown. Schumer and Pelosi also slammed President Trump's border wall as "ineffective and expensive" before issuing an ultimatum.

"If President Trump and Republicans choose to continue this Trump Shutdown, the new House Democratic majority will swiftly pass legislation to re-open government in January."

Hours before the government shutdown officially went into effect, President Trump announced to the press that the fate of the government depended upon the Democrats' cooperation in providing the aforementioned border wall funding.

What Happens Now?

The longevity of the government shutdown will reveal itself in due time. Neither Trump nor Democratic leaders are showing any signs of relenting on their stances. The president is steadfast in his determination to obtain the funding for his wall. Schumer and Pelosi continue to insist that Trump signs legislation which does not fund the wall.

The House and the Senate will convene with one another this weekend. Reportedly, their talks will largely center around reopening the United States government.

Additional developments regarding the current government shutdown will follow as new updates become public.