The border wall – a core campaign promise and source of contention with Democrats – "will come later," Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Florida to survey damage from Hurricane Irma.
Trump said he spoke with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the Republicans are "very much on board."
Earlier Thursday, in a series of tweets, Trump dismissed suggestions that he struck a deal with congressional Democratic leaders at a dinner last night.
"No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," he tweeted.
"The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built."
Trump's denial came after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement Wednesday night, after their dinner with Trump, suggesting they worked out their differences to protect the fate of young immigrants who received protection under the President Obama-era Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals
The Trump administration last week announced it would revoke DACA, leaving their fate uncertain.
"We had a very productive meeting at the White House," the statement read. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." In a tweet Wednesday night, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also pushed back against the idea of an agreement. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement last week that DACA would phase out over six months and Trump's campaign promise to build a wall between the United States and Mexico have been major points of contention between Democrats and Republicans.
The statement ended with a reference to subsidies to insurers to bolster Obamacare, also a source of discussions. Trump has not been clear about whether the administration will continue to pay subsidies to help cover the premiums of low-income customers and Obamacare supporters say this is essential.
"We also urged the president to make permanent the cost-sharing reduction payments, and those discussions will continue," the statement read.
In his tweets Thursday morning, Trump also made it clear that efforts should be made to help DACA immigrants.
"Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military?" he said, adding: "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own."
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