President Donald Trump plans to meet with the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, one day before the deadline to fund the federal government or face a shutdown.
The meeting involving House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune as well as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was confirmed Saturday by a White House official and another person familiar with the planning. Both were granted anonymity to discuss a meeting that has not been announced.
The meeting was first reported by Punchbowl News.
The parties have been in a standoff for days as Democrats, namely in the Senate, have refused to offer the necessary votes to pass a funding measure that would keep the government open beyond Tuesday.
Absent any action, a shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Democrats, believing they have leverage, have insisted on key health care provisions in exchange for their votes. They want an extension of subsidies that help low- and middle-income earners purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Democrats are also insisting on reversing cuts to Medicaid that were included the GOP’s signature tax measure earlier this year.
Republicans say those demands are nonstarters and that they are willing to have a conversation with Democrats on those issues separate from government funding talks. The GOP is asking for a straight extension of current funding for seven weeks.
Earlier in the week, Johnson acknowledged he encouraged Trump not to meet with the Democratic leaders this past week after the White House had already scheduled a meeting for last Thursday. Trump abruptly pulled out.
“He and I talked about it at length yesterday and the day before. I said, look, when they get their job done, once they do the basic governing work of keeping the government open, as president, then you can have a meeting with him,” Johnson, R-La., said on the Mike & McCarty Show. “Of course, it might be productive at that point, but right now, this is just a waste of his time.”
Thune, R-S.D., said he “did have a conversation with the president” and offered his opinion on the meeting, which he declined to disclose. “But I think the president speaks for himself, and I think he came to the conclusion that that meeting would not be productive,” Thune said.
