President Trump has agreed to meet with Democratic congressional leaders this week as lawmakers face a Sept. 30 deadline to pass legislation to avert a government shutdown.
A White House official and a source familiar with the discussions confirmed to The Post that a meeting between Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) would take place.
Punchbowl News first reported on the planned meeting, which is expected to take place on Thursday, according to multiple outlets.
The New York Democrats had written to Trump on Saturday, demanding a meeting – one day after all but two Senate Dems rejected a stopgap bill that would keep funding at current levels through Nov. 21.
“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,” Schumer and Jeffries wrote in their letter to the president.
The pair accused Republican congressional leaders – at Trump’s direction – of “repeatedly” refusing to “engage in bipartisan negotiations to keep the government open,” and told the commander in chief that it is “now your obligation to meet with us directly.”
A White House official responded to the demand by telling The Post: “Dems walked away from a bipartisan negotiation on the [continuing resolution].”
“This letter shows desperation,” the official added.
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