**Trump Meets with Congress to Avert Government Shutdown** President Donald Trump held a meeting with key congressional Republicans and Democrats at the White House on Monday. The discussions aimed to revive stalled negotiations on federal spending as a government shutdown looms. Without a funding bill passed by Congress before midnight Tuesday, the government will partially close, leading to a political crisis in Washington. A shutdown would halt non-essential government operations, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees temporarily unpaid and disrupting many social safety net benefits. Such shutdowns are generally unpopular in the U.S., prompting both parties to seek to avoid them while often blaming each other if one occurs. With just over 36 hours remaining before the deadline, both sides are firmly entrenched in their positions, increasing the likelihood of a shutdown. The White House has escalated tensions by threatening to fire a significant number of civil service workers, a departure from the usual practice of withholding their pay until an agreement is reached. Republicans have proposed extending current funding until late November while negotiations continue on a longer-term spending plan. In contrast, Democrats, feeling the pressure from Trump's cuts to government departments, are looking to leverage their position. They are advocating for the restoration of hundreds of billions of dollars in health-care spending, particularly for the Affordable Care Act, which the Trump administration aims to eliminate through its recent budget proposal. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Trump is "open to discussion" and wants to operate "in good faith" during the critical meeting with congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer. Schumer described the meeting as a necessary first step, emphasizing the need for "serious negotiation." Jeffries expressed hope for finding "common ground" with Republicans on funding that addresses the needs of the American people regarding health, safety, and economic well-being. Despite Republicans holding narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, Senate rules require a budget bill to receive 60 votes, meaning at least seven Democrats must support the Republican extension. The White House has shown little willingness to compromise, with Trump blaming Democrats for the current standoff. He remarked, "Democrats are crazed, they don’t know what they’re doing," during a press conference last week. The threat to fire civil servants instead of furloughing them has intensified the situation. Jeffries responded, stating, "We will not be intimidated." Congress frequently faces deadlines to agree on spending plans. In March, as a shutdown loomed, Republicans refused to negotiate with Democrats over significant budget cuts and potential layoffs of thousands of federal employees. At that time, ten Senate Democrats, including Schumer, reluctantly supported a Republican stop-gap measure to avoid a shutdown, a decision that angered the party's base, which is now urging Democratic leaders to resist Trump more firmly.