President Donald Trump is set to meet with the four top congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, just one day before a critical deadline to fund the federal government. The meeting will include House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. This was confirmed by a White House official and two others familiar with the planning, who requested anonymity due to the meeting not being publicly announced.

In a joint statement, Schumer and Jeffries expressed their commitment to avoiding a government shutdown. They stated, "President Trump has once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office. As we have repeatedly said, Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people. We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican healthcare crisis. Time is running out."

The meeting comes amid a standoff between the parties, particularly in the Senate, where Democrats have withheld the necessary votes to pass a funding measure. Without an agreement, a government shutdown would commence at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Earlier, Democrats had arranged a meeting with Trump, but it was canceled after Republican leaders intervened. Schumer later spoke with Thune, urging him to schedule a meeting with Trump due to the looming deadline.

Ryan Wrasse, a spokesman for Thune, commented on the situation, saying, "As rank-and-file Democrats begin to question their leadership’s unsustainable position, Sen. Schumer is clearly getting nervous. There’s an easy way out, and they’ll get a chance to take it next week."

Democrats are seeking key healthcare provisions in exchange for their votes, including an extension of subsidies for low- and middle-income earners under the Affordable Care Act and reversing Medicaid cuts from a recent GOP tax measure. Republicans have labeled these demands as nonstarters and prefer to discuss them separately from government funding negotiations. They are advocating for a straightforward seven-week extension of current funding.

Earlier in the week, Johnson indicated he had advised Trump against meeting with Democratic leaders, suggesting that it would be more productive after Democrats fulfill their responsibilities to keep the government open. He stated, "I said, look, when they get their job done, once they do the basic governing work of keeping the government open, as president, then you can have a meeting with him."

Thune also mentioned he had discussed the meeting with Trump but did not disclose his opinion. He noted, "But I think the president speaks for himself, and I think he came to the conclusion that meeting would not be productive."

Democrats believe that any government shutdown would lead voters to blame Trump and the Republicans, although this outcome is uncertain. Meanwhile, Republicans plan to highlight Democrats' refusal to agree to a stopgap measure in the Senate, while House Republicans are expected to remain away from Washington, which could have political repercussions as Democrats criticize them for being "on vacation."