Transcript for President Trump's surprise press conference

Hi Meredith McGraw for ABC news live at the White House. A surprise special guest in the press briefing room for the first time president Donald Trump made an impromptu appearance. And the press briefing room of the White House to congratulate newly elected speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi. Answer defends his demands for a border wall. Reporters found out from an overhead announcement that white house Press Secretary stare Sanders would hold a press briefing in five minutes. It's set off a flurry if chaos in the press briefing room as reporters and photographers scrambled to get into place. But what happened wasn't your press briefing. Neither the president nor the Press Secretary to cook any questions instead the president made from marks and introduce leaders from the national Border Patrol council who were advocating for a border while. As senior administration official tells me that it was president Trump's idea himself. To bring into the press briefing around Halloween a 45 minute conversation in the Oval Office. Now Jerry not impromptu appearance in the briefing room president trump made no mention of the ongoing government shut down. That is gone on for thirteen days and is now a fact dean the work of 800000. Americans. For ABC news live I'm Meredith McGraw at the White House.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.