US shutdown looms over Trump as Democrats, Republican spar over healthcare spending

President Donald Trump will meet the top four congressional leaders on Monday at the White House in a crucial effort to prevent a government shutdown. Federal funding is set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday unless an agreement is reached.

The meeting will bring together House and Senate Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, both of New York, alongside their Republican counterparts, House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota.

A standoff over priorities

The talks highlight a power struggle: Republicans, controlling the White House and Congress, seek to assert authority, while Democrats aim to secure influence over health care policy, including extending key Obamacare subsidies. Six months ago, Democrats accepted a GOP-written funding bill, but they insist any new deal must include their input.

Although Republicans hold both chambers, Democrats retain leverage in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed to pass a bill and the GOP has only 53 seats.

Positions from both sides

Senator Schumer told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that serious negotiations are essential to avoid a shutdown. “We need the meeting,” he said. “It’s a first step, but only a first step. We need a serious negotiation. Now, if the president at this meeting is going to rant and just yell at Democrats… we won’t get anything done.”

Senator Thune responded that Republicans will not negotiate on a short-term funding measure but are open to compromise on a longer-term bill. “What the Democrats have done here is take the federal government as a hostage — and by extension, the American people — to try and get a whole laundry list of things they want,” he said.

Impact of a shutdown

If no deal is reached, a government shutdown could begin in less than 48 hours. Senators return Monday evening with no clear plan, while the House remains out of session.

A shutdown would halt pay for millions of federal workers, including military personnel, who would also be furloughed. White House efforts to maintain pay for the military during a shutdown have so far failed. All federal employees would receive back pay once the shutdown ends.