Democratic leaders in both the House and the Senate accused President Donald Trump of "running away" after he canceled their planned meeting to prevent a government shutdown next week.
"Trump is running away from the negotiating table before he even gets there," Schumer said in a statement obtained by The Hill. "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."
Schumer, who is Jewish, also wrote about the situation on X, wishing Trump a "Happy New Year" — a reference to Rosh Hashanah — and adding, "When you're finished ranting, we can sit down and discuss health care."
If Congress does not reach a new funding deal, the government will shut down at midnight on Oct. 1. Republicans in the House passed a continuing resolution on Friday that would fund the government at current levels for seven weeks, but the bill does not have the 60 votes needed to clear the Senate.
In a post on X, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also criticized the president for pulling out of the meeting and blamed any potential shutdown on the GOP's refusal to negotiate on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
"Trump Always Chickens Out," Jeffries wrote on X Tuesday morning. "Donald Trump just cancelled a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office with myself and Leader Schumer."
"The extremists want to shut down the government because they are unwilling to address the Republican healthcare crisis that is devastating America," he added.
The three men were reportedly scheduled to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Thursday at the White House.
Schumer and Jeffries sought the meeting and Trump initially agreed before putting out a statement on Truth Social Tuesday scrapping the gathering.
"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 wrote.
"I look forward to meeting with them if they get serious about the future of our Nation," the president added. "We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed. I'll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter."
A Republican source told The Hill that Johnson and Thune discussed the GOP-proposed "clean" continuing resolution, as well as the across-the-aisle demands, with Trump on Monday night after news broke about the upcoming meeting with the Democratic leaders.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.