President Donald Trump was supposed to meet with Democratic congressional leaders, but decided against it, saying the meeting would not “be productive.”
Trump announced his decision with a post on Truth Social Tuesday morning as a possible government shutdown looms, Politico reported.
“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 posted. “They are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States unless they can have over $1 Trillion Dollars in new spending to continue free healthcare for Illegal Aliens (A monumental cost!), force Taxpayers to fund Transgender surgery for minors, have dead people on the Medicaid roles, allow Illegal Alien Criminals to steal Billions of Dollars in American Taxpayer Benefits, try to force our Country to again open our Borders to Criminals and to the World, allow men to play in women’s sports, and essentially create Transgender operations for everybody.”
Trump said a meeting was not out of the question.
“I look forward to meeting with them if they get serious about the future of our Nation. We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed. I’ll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter. They must do their job!” the president wrote. “Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand. To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court. I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!”
Trump was to meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who, in turn, denounced Trump’s move and blaming him if the government does shut down Oct. 1.
“Donald Trump can’t even negotiate a budget bill with Democrats. This great negotiator,” Schumer said. “By refusing to even sit down with Democrats, Donald Trump is causing the shutdown. This is a Trump shutdown.”
“Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the presidency — it’s clear they have decided to shut the government down, which is why they’ve entered into no good faith conversations with Democrats to try to reach a resolution,” Jeffries said.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told Trump they were concerned about the meeting.
The Speaker told Trump to call off the meeting with Democratic leaders.
House GOP leaders.
The House is not expected to be back in session until after the shutdown deadline. Johnson said lawmakers need to be in their home districts.
“People have a lot to do back in their districts, and so we’re on the ready at any time, but the plan would be to come back when it’s necessary,” Johnson said.
Jeffries said Trump “chickened out” and told his members to return to Washington Monday for a caucus meeting to “to discuss the Republican healthcare crisis and possible lapse in government funding.”
Johnson said he was not sure a meeting was necessary, adding if one takes place, he will be a part of it.
