Upbeat Trump raves to Schumer, Pelosi about news coverage of their deal The president called the Democratic leaders after striking a budget deal that Republicans hate.

Many Republicans were furious with President Donald Trump's budget deal Wednesday, stunned that the president quickly gave in to Democratic demands to pair hurricane relief with a three-month debt limit hike — though getting nothing in return.

But in calls with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Thursday morning, Trump raved about the positive news coverage it had received, according to people familiar with the calls, and he seemed very pleased with his decision.


Trump specifically mentioned TV segments praising the deal and indicated he'd been watching in a call with Schumer, two people said. And he was jovial in a call with Pelosi and agreed to send a tweet she asked for about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, these people said, while also mentioning the attention the deal had gotten. He indicated to both leaders he would be willing to work together again.

"He seemed super upbeat," one person familiar with the calls said.

Another person familiar with the calls said Trump told Pelosi her coverage was even better than his. “The press has been incredible,” Trump said.

Pelosi herself bragged that she had gotten results after asking him to tweet reassurances that Dreamers shouldn't worry about being deported over the next six months while lawmakers try to secure a DACA fix.

“I was telling my colleagues, ‘This is what I asked the president to do,' and boom boom boom, the tweet appeared," she said at a news conference Thursday.

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Several White House aides said Trump seemed to be in a good mood Thursday morning, and was planning to have dinner Thursday night with Speaker Paul Ryan. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the calls with the Democratic leaders but declined to confirm the tweet or the contents.

"The president spoke to Sens. McConnell and Schumer as well as Speaker Ryan and Minority Leader Pelosi this morning. The president is committed to working across the aisle and doing what is needed to best serve the American people. The president is also having dinner with Speaker Ryan later tonight," she said.

In the eyes of Trump, news coverage often matters more than almost anything else. That he was hailed for getting results while working with Democrats could spur similar decisions. But White House and congressional aides said it was unclear how many other issues there would be agreement on — and that Trump could soon change his mind.

Trump told reporters in the White House Thursday that he thought the deal signaled greater bipartisanship may be in the offing.

"I think we will have a different relationship than we've been watching over the last number of years. I hope so," he said. "I think that's what the people of the United States want to see. They want to see some dialogue."