President Trump will meet this week with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to discuss government funding ahead of a potential shutdown, a White House official told The Hill.
Punchbowl first reported on the upcoming meeting. The president is set to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and return to Washington on Wednesday.
Schumer and Jeffries had requested a meeting with Trump to discuss keeping the government open past the Oct. 1 deadline. When asked if Trump would meet the Democratic leaders, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier on Monday said “discussions are ongoing with both Republican and Democratic members of Capitol Hill.”
The Senate last week rejected a House-passed bill to fund federal departments and agencies for seven weeks and went on recess until Sept. 29.
Democrats have blamed Republicans for the looming shutdown, while Leavitt argued Democrats would be at fault.
“We want a clean funding extension to keep the government open, that’s all we’re advocating for,” she said.
“If the government is shut down, it’s only going to be — it would be the fault of the Democrats, and it will only become most vulnerable in our country, our seniors, our veterans, our military families and increasing security for members of Congress, which is something this White House and the administration supports,” Leavitt added.
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