"The president’s laid out what he wants and if they need help understanding it, we’d be happy to send some people over there to explain," Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, referring to members of Congress. | Win McNamee/Getty Images
Lawmakers who have complained publicly that they are not sure what President Donald Trump wants out of a deal to end the ongoing government shutdown are “not paying attention,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday morning, accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of being unable to keep pace with policy negotiations.
“I think then maybe sometimes they're not paying attention. Look, the president has laid out what his priorities are and what his principles are. And frankly, he invited, George, all of the media in to see and have that discussion. We’ve laid out that we want to make a deal on DACA,” Sanders told ABC “Good Morning America” host George Stephanopoulos.
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The press secretary reiterated what the president’s broad priorities have been, that any deal to protect Dreamers – undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children – be paired with immigration reforms and border security measures, including funding for a wall along the U.S. Mexico border. That some lawmakers, including Sen. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have expressed frustration about a lack of clarity from Trump is their problem, not the president’s, Sanders said.
“I know that sometimes members like Senator Schumer need a little help and guidance getting through big policy negotiations like that,” she said. “But the president’s laid out what he wants and if they need help understanding it, we’d be happy to send some people over there to explain.”
A spokesman for Schumer did not immediately return a request for comment.
While Sanders was emphatic that Trump has been clear in his demands, Schumer said over the weekend that “negotiating with President Trump is like negotiating with Jell-O” and it “next to impossible.” McConnell said last week, as negotiators scrambled in vain to keep the government open, that “I’m looking for something that President Trump supports, and he’s not yet indicated what measure he’s willing to sign.”
Sanders said any apparent difficulty in negotiation on Schumer’s part was likely a political ploy as the two sides seek a deal to reopen the government and codify protections for Dreamers into law.
“I think, frankly and sadly, that Senator Schumer is playing games. Look, he wants to make it like this is the president's fault and that the president hasn’t been anything but clear. But he has,” she said. “We've laid out multiple documents explaining and outlining exactly what we're asking for. Right now, first and foremost, we want to reopen the government. As soon as we do that, we're more than happy to start negotiations on responsible immigration reform.”
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