President Donald Trump is set to meet with two of his biggest political critics on Thursday to try to avoid a government shutdown.
Trump has agreed to meet Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to discuss resolutions to prevent the government from shutting down after the funding bill expires on Sept. 30, according to Punchbowl News.
Trump’s decision to meet with Democrats came days after Schumer and Jeffries wrote a letter to the president demanding a meeting. Both accused Trump and Republicans of blocking progress toward a funding resolution and gutting the country’s healthcare system. They also accused the president of prioritizing a government shutdown over “protecting healthcare.”
“We write to demand a meeting in connection with your decision to shut down the federal government because of the Republican desire to continue to gut the healthcare of the American people,” the letter by Schumer and Jeffries reads.
SCHUMER AND JEFFRIES DEMAND MEETING WITH TRUMP AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS
“As a result, it is now your obligation to meet with us directly to reach an agreement to keep the government open and address the Republican healthcare crisis,” Schumer and Jeffires wrote. “We do not understand why you prefer to shut down the government rather than protect the healthcare and the quality of life of the American people.”
The Democratic congressional leaders sent the letter on Saturday.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats would be responsible if the government were forced to shut down.
“We want a clean funding extension to keep the government open,” Leavitt said. “That’s all we’re advocating for, a simple, clean budget extension, a straightforward, responsible solution to keep the government open to Nov. 21, and allow the full year of appropriations process to move forward.”
ICE HAVING A HARD TIME POACHING CALIFORNIA POLICE
Leavitt also highlighted that what Republicans are asking for is what Democrats agreed to six months ago.
“And I will add, this is the same budget that the Democrats approved six months ago, just adjusted for inflation, and unfortunately, all of a sudden now, they want to shut down the government,” Leavitt said. “And if the government is shut down, it will be the fault of the Democrats, and it will only hurt the most vulnerable in our country, our seniors, our veterans, our military families.”
