Speaker Pelosi calls out McConnell for trying 'to hold the economy hostage'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) called out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) during her Thursday briefing, recalling his previous statements about the debt ceiling being necessary.

Previously, McConnell had said that America always pays its debts. According to Pelosi, McConnell is now shirking that responsibility.

"Not supporting a debt limit suspension assures that congress will not throw this kind of unnecessary wrench into the gear of our job growth and thriving economy," McConnell said at the time.

"When Trump was president, they didn't want to throw a wrench, a wrench, unnecessary wrench into the gear of our job growth. Today he's threatening to do just that. We are to stop holding the debt and the economy hostage," Pelosi said.

An Associated Press analysis of data from the U.S. Treasury revealed that nearly 98 percent of the national debt is from previous presidencies. While in office, Trump spent about $7.8 trillion on corporate tax cuts that ultimately didn't work, according to the data.

"We will not support legislation that raises the debt limit," McConnell said after Pelosi and Schumer's announcement. "Democrats do not need our help."

Pelosi said that McConnell is holding the economy hostage after it being a priority for him during the previous administration. She implied that now that a Democrat is in the White House he appears to want the economy to fail.

Pelosi said that the majority of the budget bill would be paid for. She announced they have an agreement on a funding "framework."

See the video of the briefing below:

Pelosi vs. mcconnell www.youtube.com