By Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The top U.S. State Department official for management blamed Democrats for the looming government shutdown in an unusually partisan message to staff on Tuesday, according to a copy of the message seen by Reuters.

As the federal government prepares to shut down if a temporary funding deal is not reached by midnight on Tuesday, Under Secretary of State for Management Jason Evans wrote that President Donald Trump opposes a shutdown and supports a proposed resolution to fund the government temporarily.

“Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands. If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture … federal appropriated funding will lapse.”

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