President Donald Trump will sit down with the four top congressional leaders at the White House on Monday. The meeting comes just one day before government funding runs out, raising the risk of a shutdown.
Joining Trump are House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Last week, Trump canceled a meeting with Jeffries and Schumer. He said Democrats made “unserious and ridiculous demands” and that talks would be unproductive.
Trump had already spoken with Johnson and Thune by phone. Both Republican leaders advised him not to cut a deal with Democrats. Still, with the deadline hours away, all sides are now returning to the table.
Democrats say they are ready to meet “anywhere, anytime.” Schumer has also called for urgent talks and is pushing for a bipartisan solution.
Republicans control both Congress and the White House, but they still need at least seven Senate Democrats to pass a funding bill. Democrats want to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. Republicans prefer a short-term plan with added security funding.
If no deal is reached, Trump may push agencies to shrink staff in programs he does not prioritize.
