Trump Hosts Hill Leaders to Block Shutdown

President Donald Trump plans to sit down with key congressional figures at the White House on Monday afternoon. The talks center on forging a path to keep federal operations running past the midnight deadline.

The gathering includes Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It marks the first face-to-face between Trump and the Democratic pair Schumer and Jeffries in this session.

At stake lies a stopgap funding measure known as a continuing resolution. Republicans pushed a plan to hold spending steady until November 21, tacking on 88 million dollars for emergency security needs.

Democrats have dug in against the bill without additions for extending Affordable Care Act subsidies due to lapse soon. They also seek to undo recent Republican trims to Medicaid and related health initiatives.

With Republicans holding a slim Senate edge, the measure requires 60 votes to clear procedural hurdles. That forces bipartisan buy-in, which has eluded leaders so far.

The House approved the GOP version last week, only for Democrats to stall it in the upper chamber. Trump scrapped an earlier sit-down with Schumer and Jeffries, dismissing cross-aisle ideas.

Lawmakers returned from a Senate break with no headway. Thune aims to force another vote Tuesday, mere hours from the cutoff.

Schumer warned on NBC that rants over past gripes would doom the effort. He called for real bargaining to avoid chaos.

Thune countered that priority goes to basic funding first. He suggested tackling Democratic priorities once lights stay on.

Analysts see slim odds for a deal by evening. A shutdown would furlough thousands and halt nonessential services nationwide.

Past closures under Trump dragged on for weeks, costing billions and souring public mood. This round tests if old divides can yield to urgency.

White House aides frame the session as a final outreach. Yet reports suggest Trump views concessions as unlikely without leverage.

As clocks tick, Capitol Hill buzzes with side deals in play. Observers watch if cooler heads prevail over partisan lines.