US President Donald Trump has threatened to shut down the government over funding a US-Mexican border wall in budget talks with top Democrats.
In a heated exchange with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, Mr Trump said he would be “proud” to shut down the government over border security.
Lawmakers face a partial shutdown if a spending bill deal is not reached by 21 December.
Democrats argue that the $5bn (£4bn) Mr Trump seeks is too high.
Mr Trump opened the Oval Office meeting calling it a “great honour” to have Mr Schumer and Mrs Pelosi present, in their first meeting since Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in the November mid-term elections.
But the meeting soon turned contentious as Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer argued that legislation to keep the government open could pass both houses of Congress before funding for some agencies was set to expire on 21 December.
The president contended that it could only pass if it met his demands for more funding for his proposed border wall along the US southern border.
After the meeting, Democrat Chuck Schumer condemned Mr Trump’s “temper tantrum” in the White House Oval Office.
Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to become Speaker of the House when Democrats take over the chamber next month, mocked Mr Trump’s “Christmas present” to the American people as she spoke outside the White House.
What exactly happened?
During the tense exchange as they argued over vote counts for the spending bill, Mrs Pelosi appealed to the president to save the argument for a private meeting.
“If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government,” Mr Trump said.
“And I am proud to shut down the government for border security. I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down.”
