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| US shutdown looms as Trump and Democrats end meeting without a deal | US shutdown looms as Trump and Democrats end meeting without a deal |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Watch: Lawmakers react to impasse as government shutdown deadline looms | Watch: Lawmakers react to impasse as government shutdown deadline looms |
| The US is hurtling towards a government shutdown on Tuesday night, and there appears to be little appetite on either side of the partisan divide to avoid it. | The US is hurtling towards a government shutdown on Tuesday night, and there appears to be little appetite on either side of the partisan divide to avoid it. |
| A last-ditch meeting between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders in Congress made little progress. If anything, both sides have been digging deeper into their positions. | A last-ditch meeting between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders in Congress made little progress. If anything, both sides have been digging deeper into their positions. |
| "I think we're headed to a shutdown because the Democrats won't do the right thing," Vice President JD Vance told reporters after the meeting at the White House. "You don't put a gun to the American people's head and say, 'Unless you do exactly what Senate and House Democrats want you to do, we're going to shut down your government'." | "I think we're headed to a shutdown because the Democrats won't do the right thing," Vice President JD Vance told reporters after the meeting at the White House. "You don't put a gun to the American people's head and say, 'Unless you do exactly what Senate and House Democrats want you to do, we're going to shut down your government'." |
| Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said there were still "very large differences" between his party and the White House. | Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said there were still "very large differences" between his party and the White House. |
| No one sounded optimistic. | No one sounded optimistic. |
| These positions hardened further on Monday night after Trump posted an obscenity-laced, AI video mocking the Democratic leadership. | These positions hardened further on Monday night after Trump posted an obscenity-laced, AI video mocking the Democratic leadership. |
| It depicted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dressed in a sombrero and a fake moustache, and Schumer saying in an artificial voice that undocumented migrants should get free healthcare. Both men responded angrily, with Jeffries calling it bigotry. | It depicted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dressed in a sombrero and a fake moustache, and Schumer saying in an artificial voice that undocumented migrants should get free healthcare. Both men responded angrily, with Jeffries calling it bigotry. |
| In terms of the substantive demands from each side, Republicans want a short-term extension of current spending levels – essentially kicking the legislative can a bit farther down the road. | In terms of the substantive demands from each side, Republicans want a short-term extension of current spending levels – essentially kicking the legislative can a bit farther down the road. |
| They're happy with the way things are going, particularly since the Trump administration has been implementing spending cuts on its own, without the help of congressional budget-setters. | They're happy with the way things are going, particularly since the Trump administration has been implementing spending cuts on its own, without the help of congressional budget-setters. |
| Democrats want that practice to end. | Democrats want that practice to end. |
| What's the point, they wonder, with negotiating spending-level agreements if Trump will just ignore them? | What's the point, they wonder, with negotiating spending-level agreements if Trump will just ignore them? |
| They also want a firm agreement to renew the government health-insurance subsidies for low-income individuals that expire at the end of the year – something Republicans have been reluctant to do so far. | They also want a firm agreement to renew the government health-insurance subsidies for low-income individuals that expire at the end of the year – something Republicans have been reluctant to do so far. |
| The most recent government shutdown, during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days, setting a record as the longest in American history | The most recent government shutdown, during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days, setting a record as the longest in American history |
| Why the US government might shut down and what to know | Why the US government might shut down and what to know |
| Those are the negotiating positions of both sides, but government shutdown fights are about more than policy – they're about politics. | Those are the negotiating positions of both sides, but government shutdown fights are about more than policy – they're about politics. |
| Republicans think they have the political high ground. | Republicans think they have the political high ground. |
| The party that makes demands in exchange for keeping the government open – in this case the Democrats – typically gets the lion's share of the blame when a shutdown happens. | The party that makes demands in exchange for keeping the government open – in this case the Democrats – typically gets the lion's share of the blame when a shutdown happens. |
| Trump and Republican congressional leaders are already claiming that they are the reasonable ones. | Trump and Republican congressional leaders are already claiming that they are the reasonable ones. |
| They're the ones, they say, who simply want to buy more time to negotiate without the adverse consequences of a shutdown. | They're the ones, they say, who simply want to buy more time to negotiate without the adverse consequences of a shutdown. |
| Of course, Democrats don't see it that way. | Of course, Democrats don't see it that way. |
| They believe healthcare is a winning issue for them, so they want the debate to be on whether millions of Americans will lose the ability to afford medical insurance. | They believe healthcare is a winning issue for them, so they want the debate to be on whether millions of Americans will lose the ability to afford medical insurance. |
| Temporarily funding the government for seven weeks, in their view, just moves that subsidy deadline closer without any appreciable progress. | Temporarily funding the government for seven weeks, in their view, just moves that subsidy deadline closer without any appreciable progress. |
| Complicating all this for Democrats is the reality that many Republicans seem at peace with an extended government closure. | Complicating all this for Democrats is the reality that many Republicans seem at peace with an extended government closure. |
| White House budget chief Russ Vought recently circulated a memorandum explaining how the Trump administration would use a shutdown to make new, long-term reductions in federal spending and employment rolls. | White House budget chief Russ Vought recently circulated a memorandum explaining how the Trump administration would use a shutdown to make new, long-term reductions in federal spending and employment rolls. |
| Positions and government programmes deemed "nonessential" during the closure will be permanently shuttered – an expansion of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) cuts from earlier this year. | Positions and government programmes deemed "nonessential" during the closure will be permanently shuttered – an expansion of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) cuts from earlier this year. |
| But Democratic leaders seem to believe the threats are a bluff or a negotiating tactic. | But Democratic leaders seem to believe the threats are a bluff or a negotiating tactic. |
| Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it "an attempt at intimidation". | Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it "an attempt at intimidation". |
| "Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one - not to govern, but to scare," Schumer said. "This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government." | "Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one - not to govern, but to scare," Schumer said. "This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government." |
| Schumer and his fellow Democratic congressional leaders are also under intense pressure from their political base to hold fast in the face of Republican attacks. | Schumer and his fellow Democratic congressional leaders are also under intense pressure from their political base to hold fast in the face of Republican attacks. |
| In March, Senate Democrats faced withering criticism from within their own party for reaching a six-month spending agreement with Republicans even as Trump was in the midst of his Doge budget-slashing campaign. | In March, Senate Democrats faced withering criticism from within their own party for reaching a six-month spending agreement with Republicans even as Trump was in the midst of his Doge budget-slashing campaign. |
| This time around, Democrats may feel compelled to trigger a shutdown to demonstrate their resolve. | This time around, Democrats may feel compelled to trigger a shutdown to demonstrate their resolve. |
| In the end, however, a shutdown fight is a test of wills. It's a test of which side is best able to tolerate political pain. | In the end, however, a shutdown fight is a test of wills. It's a test of which side is best able to tolerate political pain. |
| Democrats may see a benefit to fighting Republicans, but will they be willing to stand aside as cherished federal programmes and government services – including those for low-income Americans – are shuttered? | Democrats may see a benefit to fighting Republicans, but will they be willing to stand aside as cherished federal programmes and government services – including those for low-income Americans – are shuttered? |
| Republicans may talk tough about slashing government, but as the incumbent party they could have the most to lose if the public mood dramatically sours. | Republicans may talk tough about slashing government, but as the incumbent party they could have the most to lose if the public mood dramatically sours. |
| The most recent government shutdown, during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days, setting a record as the longest in American history. | The most recent government shutdown, during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days, setting a record as the longest in American history. |
| Although the fight was over spending on the president's proposed US-Mexico border wall, it ended because federal air traffic controllers – who were working without pay – began staying home, threatening massive disruption to US air travel. | Although the fight was over spending on the president's proposed US-Mexico border wall, it ended because federal air traffic controllers – who were working without pay – began staying home, threatening massive disruption to US air travel. |
| Shutdowns can be unpredictable. And while both sides seem to be itching for a fight, there's no telling when, or how, this fight will end. | Shutdowns can be unpredictable. And while both sides seem to be itching for a fight, there's no telling when, or how, this fight will end. |
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