President Donald Trump will convene with the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, just one day before the federal government faces a potential shutdown.
The Oval Office gathering will include House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to a White House official and sources familiar with the planning.
Why It Matters
The meeting marks a notable shift in strategy, as Trump had previously been hesitant to engage with Democratic leadership amid the current funding impasse. The talks come as Congress faces a Tuesday deadline to approve a spending measure or trigger a government shutdown.
This high-stakes session could determine whether federal operations continue uninterrupted beyond Tuesday. A shutdown would disrupt services across the government, potentially affecting everything from national parks to federal employee paychecks. The timing is especially critical, with both parties entrenched in a political standoff and showing little willingness to compromise on key provisions.
What To Know
Democrats have declined to support a Republican-backed seven-week funding extension without additional healthcare measures. They are seeking an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies that assist low- and middle-income Americans in purchasing insurance, as well as reversing Medicaid cuts included in prior GOP tax legislation.
Republicans have described these demands as “nonstarters,” preferring to address healthcare separately from government funding. Their position calls for a straightforward extension of current funding levels without additional policy riders.
Earlier this week, both Johnson and Thune advised Trump against meeting Democratic leaders, suggesting such talks would be unproductive until Democrats agreed to pass basic funding measures. Johnson specifically said that Democrats should complete “the basic governing work of keeping the government open” before any presidential meeting.
What People Are Saying
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a joint statement Saturday night: “President Trump has once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office. As we have repeatedly said, Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people. We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican healthcare crisis. Time is running out.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson commented: “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. Right now, this is just a waste of his time.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune added: “I think the president speaks for himself, and I think he came to the conclusion that meeting would not be productive,” though he has since agreed to participate in Monday’s session.
What Happens Next
The Monday meeting is expected to focus on finding compromise language that could secure enough Democratic support to pass a funding measure before Tuesday’s deadline.
If negotiations succeed, Congress could vote on a spending measure as early as Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
