Trump to meet with congressional leaders ahead of government shutdown deadline
Trump to meet with Schumer, Jeffries, Johnson, and Thune on Monday as Tuesday deadline to avert government shutdown hits
This is a notable shift from Trump's announcement that canceled a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) earlier in the week.
Schumer, Jeffries, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) are set to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday, according to three sources familiar with the meeting.
Punchbowl News first reported the meeting.
Schumer called Thune on Friday and urged him to meet with Trump because the deadline for a government shutdown is rapidly approaching, an aide to the Senate Minority Leader said.
“President Trump has once again agreed to meet in the Oval Office,” Schumer and Jeffries said in a joint statement.
“As we have reiterated, Democrats will meet anywhere, anytime, with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending deal that meets the needs of the American people. We remain steadfast in our resolve to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican health crisis. Time is running out.”
The federal budget runs out after September 30, triggering a government shutdown starting Wednesday unless Congress acts.
Any measure will need bipartisan support, as 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, requiring support from at least seven Democratic Senators.
On Wednesday night, the White House threatened to use the potential government shutdown due to the short-term budget disruption to implement long-term staffing changes at federal agencies.
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent a memo to federal agencies urging them to prepare layoff plans in the event of a government shutdown, increasing pressure ahead of a Tuesday deadline for Congress to pass a federal budget bill.

