Article snippet: Washington took a big step closer to a partial government shutdown on Tuesday as MORE dug in on his demand for a border wall during a fiery Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders. Trump told House Minority Leader MORE (D-N.Y.) that he would take the “mantle” of a shutdown to win tougher border security, going so far as to say he wouldn’t blame Democrats if funding lapsed for certain federal agencies. The extraordinary public exchange left congressional Democrats with little incentive to compromise, and Senate Democrats subsequently ratcheted back their latest offer, with Schumer saying he no longer supports $1.6 billion for border fencing. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman MORE (R-Ala.), who met with Trump privately before Thanksgiving, acknowledged on Tuesday that a shutdown now appears more likely. “I think it’s a step in that direction, obviously, at least with the rhetoric,” he said. Republicans were stunned by Trump’s remarks and scrambled to rein him in. GOP lawmakers have spent months insisting they don’t want a government shutdown, and they’ve tried to steer Trump away from a scenario like the one unfolding in Washington. Senate Majority Leader MORE (R-Ky.) warned later on Tuesday that a shutdown would be a mistake. “One thing I think is pretty clear, no matter who precipitates the government shutdown, is the American people don’t like it,” he told reporters. “I hope that will be avoided and both sides understand that’s not a great way to end ... Link to the full article to read more