After President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was canceling a meeting with Democratic leaders to discuss government funding, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded: “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
“Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer,” he wrote on X. “The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America.”
Jeffries is also set to address reporters about the cancellation in a press conference in Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon, according to an email from his office.
Trump had set a meeting with Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for Thursday to discuss how to move forward on government funding, which is set to run out on Sept. 30. Trump canceled the meeting Tuesday morning.
“After reviewing the details of the unserious and ridiculous demands being made by the Minority Radical Left Democrats in return for their Votes to keep our thriving Country open, I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump posted.
“To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court,” he added. “I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!”
Democrats and Republicans are at a standstill on how to move forward on government funding. While the House passed a stopgap measure last week to fund the government through Nov. 21 mostly along party lines, the bill failed in the Senate, where Republicans need Democratic support.
Schumer called out Trump for canceling the meeting, saying the president will be to blameif the government shuts down.
“Trump is running away from the negotiating table before he even gets there,” he said in a statement. “While Americans face rising costs and a Republican healthcare crisis, Trump would rather throw a tantrum than do his job. Democrats are ready to work to avoid a shutdown — Trump and Republicans are holding America hostage. Donald Trump will own the shutdown.”