MSNBC’s Ari Melber asked an alarming question on his show Friday: are we barreling towards a partial shutdown of the federal government because President Donald Trump is scared of a few conservative pundits?

Trump appeared to be willing to shutdown the government to get funding for his wall last week. But then the Senate passed a short-term funding bill that omitted funding for the wall. A backlash from Trump’s loudest supporters in right wing media prompted Trump to reverse course, and declare his refusal to sign a bill that omitted wall funding.

“How did we get here?” Ari Melber asked on The Beat Friday, hours before the shutdown deadline. “Donald Trump got scared, he got shook, because of the right wing media talking to him and his base.”

Melber aired segments of Fox News hosts, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh blasting the president for caving on the wall, all of which reportedly prompted Trump’s abrupt change of heart over the funding bill.

“If we hit a shutdown tonight, will it be because of those people I just showed on the screen, because they hurt Donald Trump’s feelings?” Melber asked his guest.

“That’s quite possible,” replied former Corrie Whalen, former comms director for Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI).

Watch the conversation above, via MSNBC.

[image via screengrab]

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]