Military will build border wall if Pelosi, Schumer don't agree to pay for it: Trump originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi are set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday morning in hopes they can come to a budget agreement to avoid a partial government shutdown next week.

In recent weeks, talks on funding matters have stalled over funding for a border wall.

Trump drew some rhetorical lines in the sand in early morning tweets Tuesday -- repeating a series of questionable claims. He again pushed to make good on his campaign promise to build what he's now calling a "Great Wall." He continued to attack Democrats for wanting "open borders," despite Democrats agreeing to spend billions of dollars for border security to repair or replace existing fencing -- but not for Trump's proposed wall. He claimed that "large new sections" of his wall had been built although that is not the case, and he touted success in barring the "large Caravans" of Central American migrants seeking refugee that Trump used to gin up fears about illegal immigration leading up to the 2018 midterm elections.

.....Ice, Border Patrol and our Military have done a FANTASTIC job of securing our Southern Border. A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution. We have already built large new sections & fully renovated others, making them like new. The Democrats,..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

....however, for strictly political reasons and because they have been pulled so far left, do NOT want Border Security. They want Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. Our Southern Border is now Secure and will remain that way....... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

In another tweet, he claimed that if Democrats don't agree to funding, the military will build the wall. "If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!" Trump tweeted.

....People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018

"I look forward to my meeting with Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi," Trump added.

The funding fight represents the last time Trump can push through legislation while still holding a Republican-controlled majority in both the House and Senate. Come January, Democrats will take over the House, making it much harder for Congress to pass any legislation that Trump backs.

(MORE: Democrats, Trump spar over border wall funding ahead of possible government shutdown)

Trump has repeated his demands for $5 billion toward building a wall at the southern border, threatening to shut down the government if Congress sends him an appropriations bill that does not include funding for border security.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a tour to review border wall prototypes, March 13, 2018, in San Diego, as Rodney Scott, the Border Patrol's San Diego sector chief, listens. (Evan Vucci/AP) More

"[A shutdown] could happen over border security. The wall is just a part of border security -- a very important part -- probably the most important part," Trump told reporters last month. "But could there be a shutdown? There certainly could, and it will be about border security, of which the wall is a part.

(MORE: Dem senator expresses willingness to negotiate funding for border wall)

Republicans leading the House and Senate support Trump’s aggressive push for funding. But they need Democrats to support the proposal in the Senate to pass the 60-vote threshold, complicating any funding negotiations.

Senate Democrats are holding firm and have refused to budge from the $1.6 billion that’s currently approved in the bipartisan Senate funding bill.

If Trump won’t accept the $1.6 billion offer, Democrats will push for Trump to support a continuing resolution for Department of Homeland Security appropriations that maintains current levels of funding, or $1.3 billion, through the end of next September, a Democratic aide told ABC News.

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