President Donald Trump scrapped a planned meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, blasting their “unserious” demands as the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline nears. Lawmakers are largely out of Washington, with the Senate returning Sept. 29 and the House not expected back until after the deadline.
Schumer and Jeffries had accused Republicans of pushing a “dirty” short-term funding bill that threatens healthcare programs. Trump countered that Democrats want to gut Medicaid reforms and rural hospital funding. Both sides traded blame, with Democrats warning Trump will “own the shutdown” and Trump insisting only their “radical Left policies” stand in the way of keeping the government open.
