Washington (CNN) Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is weighing a 2020 presidential bid, blamed President Donald Trump on Friday for the government shutdown, calling it a failure of "presidential leadership."

"This has gone on for a few weeks. It's a disgrace," Bloomberg said at an event where he was giving out a climate award in Austin, Texas.

Bloomberg said he thinks it's time for Trump to re-open the government and "work with Democrats to come up with real solutions to our immigration problems."

"Instead, all we hear from the President is a lot of fear-mongering and lies, and sadly that has been the story of his presidency," Bloomberg said. "And now I think he's willing to hurt the American people by shutting down the government over an idea that would waste a lot of taxpayer money without doing anything to solve the real problem."

Speaking later to CNN's Cristina Alesci, Bloomberg rejected Trump's suggestion that a national emergency should be declared to build a border wall.

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