Trump to meet with top congressional leaders at White House as government shutdown looms
White House confirms Monday meeting with Trump, Schumer, Jeffries, Johnson and Thune as Sept. 30 funding deadline approaches
President Donald Trump will meet Monday with congressional leaders from both parties at the White House as the nation faces a possible government shutdown ahead of the Sept. 30 funding deadline. A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Trump will host Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Majority Leader John Thune for what the White House described as a bipartisan discussion on spending bills.
The meeting comes after a session was canceled last week following Democrats’ warnings about the Trump-backed short-term extension, which they described as having partisan policy riders and potentially harming healthcare subsidies and rural hospitals. Schumer and Jeffries had sent a letter outlining their concerns and signaling that a shutdown could be blamed on Republican leadership if talks failed, while the Democrats pressed for a path to avert a partial closure. In a joint statement, Schumer and Jeffries said: “President Trump has once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office. As we have repeatedly said, Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people. We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican healthcare crisis. Time is running out.”
The Senate is expected to return Sept. 29 following the Jewish new year, and the House is expected to be out until the deadline to keep the government funded passes. The canceled meeting followed a social-media post in which Trump criticized Schumer and Jeffries for pushing what he called “radical Left policies that nobody voted for.” The notes also said the White House had signaled the meeting would proceed on Monday with Johnson and Thune present.
The political dynamic surrounding the deadline remains fragile. Trump has argued that his policy priorities, including a repeal of nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts tied to his so-called Big, Beautiful Bill, would be part of any funding deal. He has also criticized the Democratic continuing resolution for ending a rural hospital fund that he touted as important to his agenda. He urged the Democrats to adopt the “Principles in this Letter” and warned that without progress, the government could be shut down.
Senate Republicans and House Republicans have signaled a willingness to negotiate, but Speaker Johnson previously said he had urged Trump to cancel the Thursday meeting, arguing that productive talks should come after the basic obligation of keeping the government open is fulfilled. Johnson publicized his stance on the matter while noting it might be productive later but not at that moment. The dynamic underscores how far apart the parties appear on spending levels, policy riders, and healthcare subsidies.
If no action is taken, a shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on the first day after the deadline. Lawmakers face rising pressure from constituents, federal workers and key state interests as talks resume, with the White House emphasizing a need for a bipartisan approach while Republicans stress a preference to pass a clean continuing resolution without new policy riders. As Monday’s meeting approaches, officials on both sides are framing the event as a chance to avert a shutdown while remaining cautious about what concessions may be required.
As part of the same political environment, a second image from Capitol Hill shows Johnson continuing to play a central role in how the party negotiates funding while Democrats press for protections on healthcare subsidies and rural hospital funding, highlighting the different priorities that have fueled the current stalemate.
The episode illustrates how a routine budget deadline has become a focal point of broader policy battles between the White House and Congress, with both sides seeking to avoid signaling a hard deadline collapse while preparing for a potential temporary extension if a longer deal cannot be reached in time.