With a partial government shutdown looming at midnight on Tuesday, President Trump has relented and agreed to a last-minute summit with top Democratic leaders. The meeting, set for Monday in the Oval Office, will include House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Sources say the president initially canceled the sit-down earlier this week after consulting his GOP allies, citing what he called “unserious demands.” But due to mounting pressure and time running out, he reversed course and reopened the door to direct negotiations.
Democrats have signaled they will push to include funding for health care, reversing Medicaid cuts, and extending Affordable Care Act subsidies in any stopgap spending deal. Republicans, however, insist that such policy changes be negotiated separately from emergency funding. Meanwhile, the White House has ordered federal agencies to draw up layoff plans in case a shutdown occurs.
This meeting represents a crucial test of whether bipartisan cooperation can emerge under intense time constraints—or if the showdown will culminate in a government shutdown.