WASHINGTON — The U.S. government shutdown moves into its 21st day Tuesday with new but cryptic signs of movement in talks between the two sides.

"Speaker Johnson and I had a conversation this weekend," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Monday to reporters at the Capitol. He then abruptly ended his press conference with that. "Thank you. Thank you everyone."

Jeffries had been saying as recently as late last week that he and Speaker Mike Johnson (D-La.,) were not having any formal negotiations, and that he and other Republican leaders had gone "radio silent."

Aides to both men did not add any more substance regarding their discussion. "Private convo," responded a Johnson spokesman.

Word of their weekend talk came as Johnson earlier Monday said he was planning to speak t

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