Trump says 'I don't have temper tantrums' as he rants about border wall in front of the White House

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed he does not throw "temper tantrums."

• President Donald Trump on Thursday rejected allegations he threw a "temper tantrum" at a meeting with Democratic leaders on border security the day before.
• "I don't throw temper tantrums," Trump said. " I didn't smash the table. I should have, but I did not smash the table."
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday claimed Trump threw a "temper tantrum" during a meeting with Democratic leaders on border security and the government shutdown. 
• Trump was set to head to McAllen, Texas, on Thursday, where he's expected to meet with Border Patrol officials who are currently working without pay because of the shutdown.

President Donald Trump on Thursday rejected allegations he threw a "temper tantrum" at a meeting with Democratic leaders on border security a day earlier.

"I didn't pound on tables. I didn't raise my voice. That was a lie," Trump said while speaking to reporters outside of the White House.

The president added: "I don't have temper tantrums. I really don't ... I very calmly walked out of the room. I didn't smash the table. I should have, but I did not smash the table."

Following what was reportedly a heated meeting with Trump on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed the president had slammed his hands on the table and stormed out when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to agree to funding for a border wall. 

"We saw a temper tantrum," Schumer said.

Vice President Mike Pence and other Republicans rejected the notion Trump lost his temper, which the president mentioned in his comments on Thursday morning. 

Read more: Trump storms out of government-shutdown meeting after Democrats claim he 'slammed the table' over border wall

Trump discussed a number of topics with reporters on Thursday, but primarily focused on the wall he wants to build along the US-Mexico border. The president's obsession with the wall has pushed the US government into a partial shutdown, which is poised to be the longest in the country's history. 

As he spoke with reporters, Trump reiterated his baseless claim that Mexico will pay for the wall. When asked whether he might declare a national emergency to obtain funding for the border wall he said "maybe definitely." 

Trump was set to head to McAllen, Texas, on Thursday, where he's expected to meet with Border Patrol officials who are currently working without pay because of the shutdown over the president's border wall funding fight.