Donald Trump accused of 'temper tantrum' after threatening government shutdown over funding for his Mexico border wall

Donald Trump was accused of a “temper tantrum” after boasting he was prepared to shut down the US government.

The President said he would be “proud” to take the action should he not get the money he wants for his proposed Mexican border wall.

He made the comments to Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi during a meeting in the Oval Office.

Mr Schumer later accused him of throwing a "temper tantrum", adding it "will not get him his wall".

The spat came as the US government faces a possible partial shutdown on December 21, when funding for some of its agencies will expire.

Mr Trump said major wall funding was necessary, ahead of the argument being caught on camera.

Mr Schumer, speaking to the President, said: "You say `my way or we'll shut down the Government’.”

Mr Trump said: “If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other, whether it’s through you, through the military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the Government, absolutely.

“I am proud to shut down the Government for border security.

“Because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country.

“I will take the mantle, I will be the one to shut it down.”

Following this Mr Schumer said he and the President “disagree”.

A private meeting in the wake of it lasted barely 30 minutes.

After this, Ms Pelosi said that a shutdown is “a luxury the American people cannot afford”.

She also said the meeting was behind close doors because she did not want to say "you don't know what you're talking about" to the President publicly.

Mr Schumer, in a broadcast on CNN, said: “The President made clear that he wants a shut down

“If he sticks to his position for a $5billion wall, he will get no wall and he will get a shut down.

“We want border security, we offered him border security, but Americans know that the wall, not paid for by Mexico anymore, is not the way to border security.

“This temper tantrum that he seems to throw will not get him his wall and it will hurt a lot of people because he will cause a shut down. He admitted that he wants a shut down. It’s hard to believe that he would want that.”

The Democratic pair both said legislation to keep the government open and provide additional border security could pass both houses of Congress.

Ms Pelosi wrote on Twitter after the meeting that President Trump "has the Senate, the White House, and the House (for the moment) under Republican control.

"He has the power to keep government open – but instead, he says he’s going to shut down the government".

President Trump previously said the military will build his promised border wall "if Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country”.

Mr Trump is seeking far more for his project than the $1.6 billion the Senate has agreed to for border security.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledged on Tuesday that the House has yet to pass legislation that includes the $5 billion in border wall funding.