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Dec. 13, 2018 / 5:24 PM GMT
By Rebecca Shabad
WASHINGTON — House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she told President Donald Trump that she prays for him.
As Pelosi wrapped up her weekly news conference at the Capitol, the California Democrat said she prays that the president will “resist” shutting down the government later this month.
“I did tell the president that I prayed for him,” Pelosi said, referring to the Oval Office meeting on Tuesday between her, Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
“He said: ‘That’s news! Go tell the press.’ So I am,” Pelosi added.
The start of the meeting was open to the press and it was heated and argumentative, before the three continued behind closed doors.
The Democratic leaders met with Trump to discuss how to address government funding before the Dec. 21 deadline next week to prevent a shutdown. Trump made clear that he’s prepared to shut down the government to obtain the $5 billion he wants for his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Afterward on Tuesday, Pelosi spoke about the closed-door part of the meeting to reporters.
“I myself thought we would open the meeting with a prayer which I did once we privately had the meeting outside the press — if you call that private because there were many people in the room,” she said.
“I told (Trump) about Solomon, King Solomon, when he was to become King of the Jews he prayed to God and said, ‘How can I ever follow King David, King David, King of the Jews? I need you to give me great understanding and wisdom, Lord,’ and after he prayed and prayed and prayed, a guy came to him and said, ‘Solomon, because you did not ask for longevity, great wealth or vengeance against your enemy, I will give you more wisdom than anyone has ever had — the wisdom of Solomon.'”
This isn’t the first time Pelosi said that she’s prayed for Trump. After his election in 2016, Pelosi said she prays for his success and she said again last year that she prays for the president and his family.