WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump cancelled a scheduled meeting with top congressional Democrats on Tuesday, escalating tensions over government funding and raising the possibility of a partial shutdown next week.
Both Democratic leaders and the Republican president attempted to assign blame to the other side for a potential shutdown that would disrupt federal services and furlough hundreds of thousands of workers.
Trump announced his decision in a post on his Truth Social media site, stating that no meeting with congressional leaders could be productive.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries had earlier confirmed Trump’s agreement to meet this week before funding expires on September 30.
Lawmakers remain divided over discretionary funding, which constitutes approximately one-quarter of the nearly $7 trillion federal budget.
Schumer responded to Trump’s cancellation by asserting that Democrats are prepared to work towards avoiding a shutdown while accusing Trump and Republicans of holding America hostage.
The Republican-controlled House passed a stopgap funding bill last week to extend government operations through November 21, but it failed in the Senate where Republicans hold 53 of the 100 seats.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated he does not plan to recall House members before October 1, by which time the government will have shut down without Senate action.
Johnson maintains that the House completed its work by passing the stopgap bill on Friday, leaving the Senate no opportunity to modify legislation that requires bipartisan support to pass.
Republicans accuse Democrats of obstructing funding due to political opposition to the president, while Democrats argue that healthcare issues must be included in the funding bill.
Jeffries has instructed House Democrats to return to Washington from their week-long break by Monday evening to address the funding crisis.
In an extensive Truth Social post, Trump criticised Democrats but expressed willingness to meet with party leaders if they demonstrate seriousness about the nation’s future.
Trump accused congressional Democrats of wanting to enact radical left policies that nobody voted for, including high taxes, open borders, and taxpayer-funded transgender surgery.
Democrats have supported border security efforts while criticising Trump’s immigration tactics and his deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-controlled cities.
Voting against government funding bills places Democrats in an unusual position, as Schumer has frequently criticised Republicans for opposing continuing resolutions like the one passed last week.
The federal government has experienced 14 partial shutdowns since 1981, though current contingency plans for an October 1 closure remain undisclosed by the Office of Management and Budget.
Mandatory spending on programmes such as Social Security and Medicare would continue during a shutdown, along with interest payments on the federal government’s $37.5 trillion debt. – Reuters
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