US Congressional Talks: Is The US Government Shutting Down Despite Trump-Democrats' Meeting? Check Latest Updates

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a government shutdown. However, neither side has shown much willingness to compromise on their positions.

Suppose Congress doesn't pass and Trump doesn't sign government funding legislation by Tuesday night. In that case, numerous federal offices across the country will be temporarily closed, and nonessential federal employees will be furloughed, further burdening workers and the U.S. economy.

Republicans are daring Democrats to vote against legislation that would keep government funding mostly at current levels, but Democrats have held firm. They're using one of their few points of leverage to demand Congress take up legislation to extend health care benefits.

Meanwhile, Trump has shown little interest in entertaining Democrats' demands on health care.

Also Read: US Government shutdown latest: Donald Trump, Democrats leave without a deal

Earlier Monday, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House and agreed to Trump's proposal to end the war in Gaza but it was unclear whether Hamas would accept the terms.

Trump laid out a 20-point plan for ending the Israel-Hamas war and establishing postwar Gaza governance.

The Latest:YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle lawsuit over Trump's account suspension after Jan. 6 attack

YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over his 2021 account suspension following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, AP reported.

Court documents from California reveal that $22 million of the settlement will go to the Trust for the National Mall to fund the construction of the White House State Ballroom. The remaining amount will be distributed to other plaintiffs, such as the American Conservative Union.

Google is the latest big tech company to settle lawsuits brought by Trump. In January, Meta Platforms agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit over his 2021 suspension from Facebook. Elon Musk's X agreed to settle a similar lawsuit brought against the company then known as Twitter for $10 million.

The settlement does not constitute an admission of liability, the filing stated. Google confirmed the settlement but declined to comment beyond it. The disclosure of the settlement came a week before a scheduled Oct. 6 court hearing to discuss the case with U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers in Oakland, California.

Trump administration explores possible new path to cut off Harvard's federal funding

The Trump administration is exploring a new approach to prevent Harvard from receiving future federal funding, according to officials.

The administration has referred the university to a process known as debarment, as detailed in a letter sent Monday to Harvard President Alan Gerber from the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston ruled that the government must reinstate $2.2 billion in research funding that had been frozen earlier in the year for the Ivy League institution.

Talks between the university and the Trump administration over antisemitism issues on campus have stalled, and the government is seeking a new way to cut off the university's federal funding. The process of debarment basically would declare Harvard ineligible to do business with the government.

The Palestinian government in the occupied West Bank welcomes Trump's peace proposal

The Palestinian government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has welcomed President Donald Trump's plan to end the Gaza war and pledged to implement reforms called for in his plan, AP reported.

“The State of Palestine welcomes the sincere and determined efforts of President Donald J. Trump to end the war on Gaza and affirms its confidence in his ability to find a path toward peace,” it said in a statement.

Also Read: Trump-Netanyahu Gaza talks: 20-point peace plan, hostage release, transitional Palestinian admin – 10 key highlights

Trump's plan calls for the Palestinian Authority to make a series of reforms in order to return to Gaza and potentially clear the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

“We have affirmed our desire for a modern, democratic, and non-militarized Palestinian state, committed to pluralism and the peaceful transfer of power,” the statement says. It promised a series of reforms, including new elections, changes to its schoolbooks and ending a system that pays the families of militants involved in attacks on Israelis.

Democrats say they raised concerns about costs of health care coverage in meeting with Trump

Democratic leaders said that negotiations on extending health insurance tax credits must happen now as part of talks to fund the federal government and avert a shutdown.

The comments came Monday afternoonafter Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries returned to the Capitol following their White House meeting with President Donald Trump.

Republicans have said that negotiations on the enhanced tax credits could occur in December before they expire and that those negotiations shouldn't be part of a bill to fund the government.

“We think when they say later, they mean never,” Schumer said, adding,“now is the time we can get it done.”

Vance, after meeting, says he thinks federal government is headed for a shutdown

Vice President JD Vance said Monday afternoon that he believes the federal government is headed for a shutdown“because the Democrats won't do the right thing.”

He spoke after Democratic and Republican leaders met with Trump at the White House. Republicans are calling on Democrats to approve a clean short-term funding patch to avoid a shutdown and tackle other pressing policy issues later.

Vance stated that if Democrats are serious about addressing health care policy, Republicans are open to discussions - but only "in the context of an open government providing essential services to the American people."

House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that the House has already fulfilled its responsibility by passing a continuing resolution to fund the government. He added that if Democrats allow a shutdown to occur, they will bear the responsibility for its consequences.

The meeting marked President Trump's first with the congressional“big four” since beginning his second term in the White House.

White House meeting comes at tenuous moment for Israel

The White House talks and Netanyahu's apology for the attack in Qatar come with Israel increasingly isolated and losing support from many longtime allies. At home, Netanyahu's governing coalition appears more fragile than ever. And the White House is showing signs of impatience.

Also Read: 'I'm very confident': Trump pushes for Gaza peace proposal in talks with Netanyahu | Watch video

It is still unclear how Netanyahu will justify accepting the proposal to the far-right members of his coalition, especially after vowing to continue military action against Hamas until the group is“eliminated.”

According to the Trump plan, once all hostages are released, Hamas members who agree to peaceful coexistence and surrender their weapons will be granted amnesty. The plan also offers safe passage out of Gaza for those Hamas members who choose to leave and are accepted by other countries.

Schumer and Jeffries emerge from White House meeting

“There are still large differences between us,” said Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader.

Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the leading Democrat in the House, urged Trump and Republicans to negotiate, but said it's up to the president.

“He's the decision maker,” Schumer said.“He can avoid a shutdown.”

Trump administration to send 100 troops to Illinois to guard ICE facilities and staff, governor says

Federal officials plan to send 100 troops to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities or staff in Illinois amid a surge in immigration enforcement operations focused on the Chicago area, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday.

Also Read: Pentagon calls up 200 National Guard troops to Portland, citing threat from 'domestic terrorists'. What does it mean?

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that the Illinois National Guard had been informed of a memo from the Department of Homeland Security to the Defense Department.

Pritzker, a Democrat who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, accused the Republican president of attempting to consolidate power.

Trump has frequently threatened to send federal troops to Chicago, citing the city's gun violence and other crime. However, Pritzker and other Chicago and Illinois leaders have strongly opposed the deployment of federal troops, arguing that they are neither wanted nor necessary.

Hamas is reviewing the peace proposal

Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's intelligence chief presented Trump's proposal to Hamas negotiators, who are currently reviewing it "in good faith," according to a report by the Associated Press citing source. The source, who requested anonymity, was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

(With inputs from AP)

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