“I can’t imagine anybody ever even thinking of using the debt ceiling as a negotiating wedge,” Trump 2019

“When I first came into office,” Trump said, “I asked about the debt ceiling. … And I said, I remember to Sen. Schumer and to Nancy Pelosi, ‘Would anybody ever use that to negotiate with?’ They said, ‘Absolutely not.’”

The president added: “That’s a sacred element of our country. They can’t use the debt ceiling to negotiate.” Trump in 2019

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/19/donald-trump-debt-ceiling-1422934