“Fox & Friends” was not happy after news emerged Tuesday that President Trump will back down from his threat to shut down the government if Congress does not allocate funding for his long-promised border wall. On set, show co-host Steve Doocy expressed disbelief and called it a victory for Democrats and Nancy Pelosi.
“What a stunning turn of events,” Doocy said. “If he agrees to the [continuing resolution] which would continue funding the government at the current levels … he loses and the Democrats will win everything they want.”
“Some are wondering ‘is this a win for Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer?’” fellow co-host Ainsley Earhardt said, to which Doocy shouted “yes” before she could even finish her sentence.
Things only got more hostile after White House counselor Kellyanne Conway came on set.
“The president has no leverage,” Brian Kilmeade said.
“That’s not true, the president always has leverage, I disagree with that,” Conway shot back.
“Where does it come from?” Kilmeade demanded.
“Paul Ryan doesn’t want the wall,” Doocy added before Conway could fully answer.
Per usual, Conway attempted to deflect any blame away from Trump and instead criticized congressional Republicans for “taking the path of least resistance” and of course, the House’s incoming Democratic majority — but the show was not having it.
“People who voted for him and want the wall and went to the polls to vote for that wall, they want to know how he’s going to do this and they want to know why he seems to be softening his stance this morning,” Earhardt said.
As Doocy noted, it was only a week ago that Trump took a combative tone with “Chuck and Nancy” in the Oval Office and said bluntly he would be prepared to shut down the government if the border wall (originally supposed to be paid for by Mexico) were not fully funded by the Congress.
“If we don’t get what we want one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through a military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government, absolutely,” Trump told Schumer on live television. “And I’ll tell you what, I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems, and drugs pouring into our country.”