CNN host Anderson Cooper excoriated President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE on Friday, arguing that the president is telling federal employees who are working without pay amid the partial government shutdown to “let them eat wall.”

Cooper panned Trump after the president repeated his claim that federal workers support his demands for funding for a U.S.–Mexico border wall in order to end the ongoing shutdown.

“The president of the United States, who is a billionaire, says the 800,000 people who aren’t getting paid because of the government shutdown are okay with that,” Cooper said. “‘Just ask them,’ he says. He also says he thinks their landlords will be okay with them not paying the rent.”

“Later in the program, you will meet some people who are not getting paid right now,” he continued. “They have bills to pay, credit cards, groceries as well. Health insurance, mortgage payments, the rent. The president has words for them, too. 'Let them eat wall.'”

"'Just words?' President Trump?" asks @andersoncooper.



The President has these words for federal employees who have bills to pay, credit card bills, groceries, health insurance, mortgage payments... the rent: Let them eat wall. #KeepingThemHonest pic.twitter.com/EyuttnwIUQ — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) January 5, 2019

The government entered a partial shutdown on Dec. 22, closing 25 percent of the government and leaving hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed or forced to work without pay for the time being. The shutdown began amid an impasse between the White House and lawmakers over Trump's demand for billions of dollars in border wall funding.

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Trump dug in on Friday on his demand for $5.6 billion to fund his proposed U.S.–Mexico border wall as part of any deal to end the shutdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise Pelosi, Schumer 'encouraged' by Trump call for bigger coronavirus relief package Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (D-N.Y.) have both said they would not agree to allocate any additional funds for the wall.

Trump also threatened to keep parts of the government shut down for years until he gets his desired funding to build the border wall.

A working group at the White House is meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on Saturday to attempt to negotiate an end to the shutdown, which entered its 15th day on Saturday.

The House passed spending bills this week to reopen the government without border wall funding, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden asks if public can trust vaccine from Trump ahead of Election Day | Oklahoma health officials raised red flags before Trump rally MORE (R-Ky.) has refused to bring the House-passed measure to the floor for a vote, saying he wouldn’t introduce any legislation that didn’t have the public endorsement of the White House.