On Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) raised doubts about the necessity of a meeting between President Trump and the leading Democratic figures in Congress as the deadline for a potential government shutdown looms. He mentioned that both he and Senate Majority Leader John Tune (R-SD) were part of the discussions.
Shortly after, Trump posted on Truth Social, saying, “We have determined that meetings with Congressional leaders are not productive” after assessing the Democrats’ requests.
White House officials confirmed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) would participate in the meeting on Monday.
“If there’s a meeting, I’m definitely there,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday morning. “But I’m not sure there’s a need for a meeting,” he added while accusing Democratic leaders of making “very partisan” demands.
Last week, the House passed a straightforward continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded until November 21st. Senate Republicans were urged to address issues like the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire soon.
Johnson criticized Schumer and Jeffries for what he described as a “wild partisan request,” insisting they were complicating a simple CR with their demands. “We just want to keep the government open so our budget can continue its work; that’s a bipartisan concern and responsibility,” he noted, expressing confusion over their actions.
Despite his reservations, Johnson stated, “If we had a meeting, our leader, John Tune, and I would certainly be part of it.”
In a joint statement, Schumer and Jeffries highlighted the importance of the meeting, indicating it would address pressing issues like rising costs and the Republican healthcare crisis. “It’s past time for us to meet and work together to prevent Republican shutdowns,” they said.
The meeting is set for Thursday. Trump is scheduled to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly before returning to Washington on Wednesday.
The Senate’s 60-vote threshold means Republicans will need some Democratic support to pass any short-term funding measures. Congress is currently in recess, as Johnson canceled session days planned for September 29th and 30th to focus on discussions with Senate Democrats.
When asked if skipping sessions could reflect poorly if the government were to shut down, Johnson responded, “We’ll handle that as needed. But if Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries decide to shut down the government, it’ll be their decision to create challenges. They need to allow the government to remain functional and refrain from making excessive demands during these serious times.”
