A small, bipartisan group of lawmakers were invited to visit Camp David Friday by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Although another session at Camp David took place recently, this time is more significant because it is the first time Democrats have been invited, administration officials told Politico.
It is not immediately clear from the initial report which lawmakers were invited and whether or not they have accepted the invitation.
President Trump had no plans Tuesday to attend the gathering.
“It’s renewing old relationships and fostering new ones,” a White House official said, referencing that Trump has little to no relationship with the House majority.
To get an appropriations bill passed — especially one that includes border wall funding — by the time the continuing resolution expires at the end of this week, Trump will need to be able to work more closely with Democrats in the House.
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history happened because Trump and Democrats could not come to an agreement on a spending bill that would include the $5.7 billion for a physical barrier at the southern border.
In January, Trump sign a bill proposed by Democrats that would fund and reopen the government for three weeks, through Feb. 8, and also pay federal workers affected by the shutdown, while continuing to work towards passing a bill that provides a more long-term funding solution.
At the last meeting Mulvaney held with lawmakers at Camp David, GOP Sens. Jim Lankford, Okla.; Rob Portman, Ohio; Shelley Moore Capito, W.Va.; Kevin Cramer, N.D.; and David Perdue, Ga., attended.
Trump also was not present at the first meeting Mulvaney hosted, but he did phone in.
Mulvaney was brought on by Trump as head of the Office of Management and Budget, and before that served in the House for six years and served on the House Freedom Caucus.
