World

Trump in bid to avert shutdown as deadline looms

By AAP Newswire

Sep 28, 2025

the US Capitol Building — If members of Congress can't reach agreement, the US federal government will shut down on Wednesday. -AP

US President Donald Trump will meet with the top Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress to discuss government funding ahead of an imminent deadline to keep the government open.

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The US Congress is approaching an immediate government funding deadline and without any action the government will shut down on Wednesday.

Trump had previously scrapped a meeting with the top Congressional Democrats - Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer - to discuss government funding.

Jefferies and Schumer released a joint statement on Saturday confirming the Monday meeting, and said: "We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown".

The federal government is on the brink of its 15th partial shutdown since 1981 because lawmakers have failed to agree on a plan for discretionary funding for the new fiscal year, or about one-quarter of the $US7 ($A11) trillion budget.

On September 19, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a stopgap bill to fund the government through November 21. The bill fell short in the Senate where Republicans needed 60 votes.

Senate Democrats rejected the bill, demanding that any legislation undo recent cuts to healthcare programs.

Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate compared with the 47 held by Democrats, and have a 219-213 majority in the House.