Trump to Face Off With Democrats Ahead of Shutdown Deadline

President Donald Trump and top congressional leaders have strong political incentives to stoke the ongoing standoff during a White House meeting Monday even as they drive the US to its first government shutdown in nearly seven years.

Democrats are keen to use the shutdown battle to frame the next election around rising costs, particularly for health care. Republicans are equally eager to blame the Democrats and show them to be poor stewards of the government and the US economy ahead of the 2026 midterms.