| | | | Donald Trump's temper tantrum |  | | On Wednesday, the President of the United States stormed out of a meeting with top congressional leaders after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to support money in the federal budget for the border wall he has long championed.
After he left -- or maybe as he was leaving -- Trump took to Twitter to bash Pelosi -- and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. He tweeted:
"Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!"
(Trump reportedly actually said "bye bye" as he left the meeting, which is, um, amazeballs.)
This would be slightly worrisome if we were talking about how your teenager behaved in a meeting for a group project with the deadline coming up. It's outright terrifying when you are talking about the President of the United States, and the federal government has already been closed -- at least partially -- for 19 days.
This is, of course, not the first time since being elected President that Trump has flashed his take-my-ball-and-go-home approach to governance. As a CEO, Trump could behave like this because, ultimately, his word was the only one that mattered. If he wanted something done, it usually got done.
He has never seemed to adjust to the very real and clear differences between his past life as a businessman and reality TV star and President of the United States.
As Pelosi seeks to remind Trump regularly, Congress is a co-equal branch of government -- as outlined in a little something we call the Constitution. And with Democrats now in control of the House, Trump has zero choice but to find some sort of compromise that can get through Congress -- or have this shutdown continue on and on and on.
Which, by the sound of his rhetoric and the signal sent by his actions today, Trump may be just fine with! Because he is Trump. And this sort of stuff is what he does.
But ask yourself this: Is stamping out of a meeting because you don't get what you want really a long-term governing strategy?
The Point: It isn't. (I answered that one for you.)
-- Chris | | "They say it's a medieval solution, a wall. It's true because it worked then and it works even better now."
-- President Donald Trump defending his border wall in light of criticism. | | | MEET YOUR NEW CONGRESS: MAX ROSE | |  | Newly sworn-in New York Rep. Max Rose has already made waves in Washington as one of the 15 Democrats to vote against Nancy Pelosi for House speaker (following through on a campaign promise to his Staten Island and southern Brooklyn constituents).
But it's not all serious for the 32-year-old Army veteran: The new congressman -- who flipped his district from red to blue in November -- also had a colleague rub his nearly bald head for good luck while drawing numbered chips for office assignments earlier this month.
Lauren caught up with Rose, who talked about his frustration over the government shutdown, hope for infrastructure investment and his favorite Lil Wayne pump-up track.
Lauren Dezenski: In five words, describe how you felt while being sworn in.
MR: Pissed off, government shut down.
LD: What's your top priority in your first term?
MR: Ending corruption in DC so that we're able to truly invest in our infrastructure, fight the opioid epidemic, and end gun violence. We can't do that if the special interests are writing the bills or preventing them from coming up for a vote in the first place.
LD: What's your expectation on what happens with the current partial government shutdown?
MR: Shutting down the government is a national disgrace and it should never be used as a negotiating tactic. Hundreds of thousands of hard-working, dedicated public servants are working without pay. It needs to end now.
LD: What was your biggest lesson from your campaign?
MR: People will vote for you even if they don't agree with you on everything. They will never vote for you if they can't trust you.
LD: Do you have a favorite pump-up song? What is it?
MR: Lil Wayne – Right Above It.
LD: Tell me about your favorite food from your district.
MR: This will only get me in trouble. But, if it's date night with my wife, Leigh, I'm going to my favorite Italian restaurant, Vinium.
The introductions continue! We have even more interviews lined up with the new House members. Is there someone we should talk to from your district? Email lauren.dezenski@cnn.com with your suggestions -- and thanks to everyone who has already reached out! | | WHAT COMES NEXT: SHUTDOWN EDITION | | | 📅 Tomorrow: President Trump will travel to the US-Mexico border in his ongoing PR pitch for a border wall. He pessimistically described the planned visit and last night's address on Tuesday: "It's not going to change a damn thing, but I'm still doing it."
📅 Next Wednesday: The House plans to vote on bills sponsored by Democrats that would fund parts of some shuttered governmental agencies and departments.
❓ Will it open the government? Probably not ... because the chances it reaches Trump's desk are slim.
Right now it's expected to go nowhere in the Republican-controlled Senate. AND even if it did pass the Senate, the White House has already threatened to veto the legislation because it doesn't provide $5 billion for the border wall. | |  | Tom Steyer: Despite building serious infrastructure for a presidential run, the California billionaire and face of the Trump impeachment push will remain in that space -- and out of the 2020 presidential race -- which Steyer announced from Iowa today.
Beto O'Rourke: The former Texas congressman hasn't committed to anything yet, but behind the scenes, O'Rourke and his advisers are discussing the contours of a campaign and evaluating potential staff and supporters.
Kamala Harris: The California senator continues her book tour media blitz, telling CNN's Jake Tapper today "I will make my decision soon, not at this very moment."
Elizabeth Warren: Is officially headed to New Hampshire -- her first stops on the books as a potential presidential candidate. The Massachusetts senator is headed there this weekend and is also the guest of honor at the 60th annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner on February 22.
Bernie Sanders: If the Vermont senator runs for president again in 2020, he won't have the same campaign manager as his '16 run. | |
NON-PRESIDENTIAL 2020 DEVELOPMENT | | Iowa's Republican Rep. Steve King has a potential primary challenger.
Republican State Senator Randy Feenstra has announced a run for Congress -- and could pose a primary challenge should King seek a 10th term in the House.
King narrowly defeated by Democrat JD Scholten in 2018. | | | | | | |
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