Trump Scraps Shutdown Talks With Top Democrats

The chances of striking a deal to avert a government shutdown just got a little slimmer. President Trump on Tuesday called off a meeting with top Democratic leaders in Congress, reports NPR. The president had been scheduled to sit down with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, but he scrapped that after House Republican leaders expressed concerns to the White House, reports Politico. GOP leaders were reportedly wary that Trump might entertain Democratic proposals, particularly around extending health insurance subsidies—a divisive issue in the Republican caucus.

"After reviewing the details of the unserious and ridiculous demands being made by the Minority Radical Left Democrats in return for their Votes to keep our thriving Country open, I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive," Trump wrote on social media. Without a deal, the government will shut down on September 30, per CNBC.

Democratic leaders had planned to press Trump on rising costs and what they called a "Republican health care crisis." After Trump's announcement, Jeffries criticized the move on social media, accusing Trump of backing out and warning that "extremist" Republicans were risking a shutdown by refusing to negotiate on health care. Republicans are backing a seven-week stopgap spending bill without additional policy measures, while Democrats have pitched a shorter, four-week extension that includes demands such as restoring public broadcasting funding and reversing recent GOP policy changes.