The Trump Address and the Democratic Response

Trump’s Address:

On Jan. 9, President Donald Trump gave a nine and a half minute speech about the state of the government shutdown and his infamous border wall. Trump said a series of accusations in an attempt to woo the American public in favor of the border wall. These accusations are often labeled by fact checkers as lies.

One of the main points in his speech was in regards to the consequences of illegal aliens immigrating with their dangerous lifestyles, specifically drugs and human trafficking.

“More americans will die of drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam war,” Trump said.

Trump claims the wall will secure America’s borders and serve as protection from criminal gangs, drug smugglers and human traffickers.

He also said that the border wall will pay for itself and will be payed for indirectly by a new trade deal with Mexico.

Trump says the cost of illegal drugs to the U.S. exceeds $500 billion, vastly more than the $5.7 billion dollars law enforcement officials have requested for the wall, which Trump claims will be a steel barrier at the request of Democrats.

President Trump addressed the separation of immigrant children from their families, defended Border Patrol agents and reassured the public that America’s mission is to safely reunite the displaced children with their families in their home countries. Trump said he is determined to end this suffering.

Trump claims that many democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have always been on board with a physical barrier separating the two countries, but they changed their public opinions after Trump’s election. According to his address, democrats have failed to provide border agents with the necessary tools needed to protect America’s safety.

“The government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only, because democrats will not fund border security,” Trump said. “The only solution is for democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and reopens the government. This situation could be solved in a 45 minute meeting.”

This quote was found to be false by the New York Times, as Democrats have offered $1.3 billion in funding for a alternative method of security.

Trump says he plans to meet with congressional members to further advance progress and end the shutdown.

Addressing the role of morality and ethics regarding the wall, Trump compared the steel barrier wall that would separate the U.S. and Mexico to the gates and fences around wealthy politicians homes.

“[Wealthy politicians] don’t build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside,” Trump said.

Trump concluded his executive address by remembering Americans who had been murdered by illegal aliens.

“This is about whether or not we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve,” Trump said. “When I took the oath of office, I swore to protect our country. And that is what I will always do, so help me God.”

Pelosi and Schumer Response:

Immediately after President Donald Trump spoke to the nation regarding the current government shutdown, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued their response on live television. In this response, they shamed the president for addressing the country in the oval office as a means of scaring the American people.

“The president has chosen fear and we want to start with the facts,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi also went on to explain that the Democrats have proposed legislation that Republicans in Congress once supported. After Trump vetoed that legislation, Pelosi called upon Republicans in Congress to stand up for what they believe in.

Pelosi made a direct reference to the shutdown when she brought up all of the employees that will not receive their paychecks as a result of the shutdown.

“President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety, and well being of the American people,” Pelosi said.

When Leader Schumer made his address, he pleaded with the president to reopen the government and stop using the American people as pawns.

“The President of the United States, having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, has shutdown the government,” Schumer said.

Schumer placed the entirety of the responsibility for the shutdown on the presidents hands by stating that the president has chosen to keep the government shutdown unless he receives funding for his wall. President Trump has referred to this shutdown as the Schumer Shutdown when previously addressing it.