Donald Trump

Inside Trump's Surprise Oval Office Deal With Democrats

"We did not know this was going to happen," one administration source said

The president was in deal-making mode Wednesday, so at a meeting with congressional leadership in the Oval Office he sided with Democrats instead of his own party on a deal that raises the government's debt limit for just three months, multiple sources told NBC News.

President Donald Trump cut into a discussion between his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, and Senate Minorty Leader Chuck Schumer, accepting Schmer's proposal to raise the debt limit for far less time than Republicans wanted while providing funding for Hurricane Harvey aid and keeping the government open for three months as well.

One person who received an account of the meeting described Mnuchin as seeming initially "wounded" and "surprised" by the president's action. House Speaker Paul Ryan was blindsided and started growing angry.

The deal even stunned presidential advisers. "We did not know this was going to happen," one administration source said. "I don't think anyone did."

Contact Us