Washington (CNN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- who argued publicly this week that he has a limited role to play in resolving the standoff over government funding -- was notably absent from a news conference with President Donald Trump Friday that followed his high-stakes meeting with congressional leaders to discuss the ongoing government shutdown.

While McConnell and Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican and his new deputy in Senate GOP leadership, left the White House after the meeting, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Steve Scalise stood behind Trump in the Rose Garden as the President boasted during a lengthy and far-reaching session with reporters that he could "call a national emergency" to build a border wall with Mexico -- the issue at the center of the shutdown stalemate -- without the approval of Congress if he wants, and defended the use of eminent domain, something that is unpopular with many conservatives, to facilitate construction.

At one point, a reporter explicitly asked the President, "Why is Senator Mitch McConnell not here? Why was he not invited to this?"

Trump replied that McConnell was not there "because he's running the Senate," despite the fact that the Senate adjourned for the weekend before the White House meeting started and will not be back in session until Tuesday.

The President also praised the Senate GOP leader, saying, "He's been great. He's been really fantastic."

Read More