Shutdown Looms as trump to Meet with Congressional Leaders in Last-Ditch Effort
WASHINGTON – A potential government shutdown looms as President Trump is set to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, alongside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in a final attempt to avert a federal closure. the meeting comes amid escalating partisan tensions and disagreements over federal spending.
Senator John Thune (R-SD) on Sunday criticized a federal program, stating it is “desperately in need of reform” and “fraught with waste, fraud, and abuse,” adding, “There are so many people who don’t even know they have coverage, because the payments are made directly to the insurance company.”
The White House has warned of potential mass layoffs across the federal government should a shutdown occur, echoing preparations made during the Trump management. Agencies were previously directed to prepare for large-scale workforce reductions in the event of a government closure.
Speaker Johnson, appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, said Trump “wants to bring in the leaders to come in and act like leaders and do the right thing for the American people.” Johnson characterized the current push for a short-term extension as an effort to “buy a little time” to finalize the appropriations process.
He further accused Schumer and Jeffries of holding “the people hostage” for political gain, stating, “It’s fine to have partisan debates and squabbles but you don’t hold the people hostage for their services to allow yourself political cover and that’s what Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are doing right now.” Johnson claimed schumer’s motivation is to deflect criticism from the left wing of his party for not aggressively opposing Trump, saying, “he is trying to get cover from the far left base of his party because they’ve been hammering for not fighting Trump. so he’s going to try to show that he’s fighting Trump.”
Jeffries, speaking on ABC’s This Week, affirmed his party’s commitment to funding the government, expressing optimism that a deal could be reached.He also noted the White house did not provide an explanation for the initial cancellation of the meeting and pledged to work to counter healthcare cuts previously approved by Republicans, warning that increased healthcare costs could take effect “in a matter of days.”
“we want to find a bipartisan path forward and reach a spending agreement with our Republican colleagues that actually meets the needs of the American people but that also addresses the Republican healthcare crisis that’s harming everyday Americans,” Jeffries stated.
