Trump to meet with Democratic leaders Thursday with shutdown looming

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday to discuss government funding before the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.

It’s unclear whether top Republican congressional leaders will join the meeting, as both chambers are out of session this week.

Republicans and Trump favor a seven-week stopgap bill, while Democrats propose a four-week extension tied to health care demands.

Schumer and Jeffries pushed for the meeting after previous attempts to engage GOP leaders failed.

Democrats want to highlight health care, pressing for extended subsidies and a rollback of Medicaid cuts, but Republicans insist those issues should wait.

The meeting’s format remains uncertain, with some recalling a heated 2018 televised debate that preceded a record 35-day shutdown, Politico has reported.

The planned sit-down was first reported by Punchbowl News.