With the clock ticking down to a midnight deadline, President Donald Trump is set to host top congressional leaders at the White House on Monday afternoon in a high-stakes bid to avert a partial government shutdown that could furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupt essential services nationwide. The 3 p.m. ET meeting comes amid deepening partisan rifts, as Democrats dig in on demands for healthcare protections while Republicans push a clean funding extension, leaving little room for compromise just hours before the fiscal year ends.
The gathering will bring together Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and House Speaker Mike Johnson – a rare bipartisan summit that's more last-ditch Hail Mary than olive branch. Trump, who abruptly canceled a similar sit-down last week and dismissed Democratic proposals as "unserious and ridiculous," has signaled he's bracing for the worst. "If it has to shut down, it'll have to shut down," the president declared on Friday, pinning the blame squarely on Democrats for what he called their "partisan hostage-taking."
At the heart of the impasse is a Republican-backed stopgap bill that sailed through the GOP-controlled House last week, proposing to maintain current funding levels through mid-November while Congress hammers out full-year appropriations. But Senate Democrats, wielding their filibuster power, have blocked it, insisting on linking any extension to an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits set to expire at year's end. These subsidies, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, have helped millions of low- and middle-income Americans afford health insurance, reducing uninsured rates to historic lows.
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"We need a serious negotiation – not threats or tantrums," Schumer emphasized in a Sunday interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," highlighting the credits' role in shielding families from skyrocketing premiums. Democrats argue that with Republicans holding the White House and majorities in both chambers, any shutdown fallout will tarnish the GOP's image, especially amid Trump's aggressive push to overhaul federal agencies. Schumer dismissed White House warnings of mass layoffs during a funding lapse as empty bluster: "They're doing it anyway – Trump's been firing federal workers since Day One."
The administration's hardline stance escalated last week when the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to prepare "reduction-in-force" plans for permanent staff cuts beyond typical furloughs – a move critics like Schumer labeled "intimidation tactics" aimed at shrinking government payrolls by up to 300,000 positions by year's end. OMB Director Russ Vought's memo targets non-essential programs, but Democrats warn it could gut services from national parks to veterans' benefits, exacerbating economic strain in an already fragile recovery.
Republicans, meanwhile, are framing Democrats as obstructionists willing to risk chaos for political points. Thune, appearing on the same "Meet the Press" broadcast, urged Democrats to pass the clean bill and debate ACA reforms separately, slamming the subsidies as riddled with "waste, fraud, and abuse." Some GOP senators, including moderates, have floated tweaks to the credits – like means-testing or anti-fraud measures – but party hardliners, led by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, vow to oppose any deal that doesn't slash spending further. Paul's expected "no" vote means Republicans need at least eight Democratic defections to clear the 60-vote Senate threshold, a tall order given the backlash Schumer faced in March when he and nine colleagues allowed a similar bill to advance.
That earlier episode still stings for Democrats: Schumer endured calls to resign from progressives furious over what they saw as capitulation to Trump's agenda. This time, the New York senator is unyielding, buoyed by public polling showing widespread support for ACA expansions and growing anxiety over potential shutdown impacts – delayed Social Security checks, closed IRS offices, unpaid Coast Guard salaries, and shuttered Smithsonian museums.
Trump's track record with Democratic leaders offers scant optimism. Their last major parley in August devolved into a public spat, with the president blasting Schumer to "go to hell" on social media over stalled Cabinet confirmations. Yet the White House's quick pivot to reschedule after Trump's cancellation – prompted by Schumer's direct outreach to Thune – suggests mounting pressure from business lobbies, federal unions, and even some GOP donors wary of market jitters.
As negotiators huddle, the human cost looms large. A shutdown could sideline 2 million federal employees without pay (though backpay is guaranteed post-resolution), strain small businesses reliant on government contracts, and amplify hardships for vulnerable populations dependent on programs like SNAP and WIC. Economists estimate each week of closure could shave 0.1% off GDP, echoing the $11 billion toll from the 35-day 2018-19 impasse.
For now, all eyes are on the Oval Office. Will Trump's meeting yield breakthroughs on healthcare and funding, or devolve into another round of finger-pointing? With Tuesday's deadline unyielding, Washington – and the nation – holds its breath.
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