WASHINGTON — With the funding deadline fast approaching, Congressional leaders and the White House engaged in tense negotiations on Saturday to prevent a partial federal government shutdown, even as partisan divisions threatened to derail a last-minute agreement.
Key House and Senate negotiators remained locked in talks over the weekend, attempting to bridge gaps between Republican demands for spending cuts and Democratic calls for protecting key programs. The standoff has intensified as agencies warned that nonessential operations could halt just days from now if no deal is reached.
President Donald Trump weighed in publicly, urging Congress to “get it done” and warning that any failure to pass funding would harm Americans, including military readiness and border security. Meanwhile, sources in both chambers said disagreements over defense funding, social programs, and border enforcement remain central obstacles.
If no agreement is struck by midnight Tuesday (or the date stipulated in existing stopgap legislation), parts of the federal government could begin furloughing employees, halting noncritical federal services, and disrupting operations such as national parks, regulatory functions, and federal grants.
Some lawmakers still hold hope for a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to buy more time for negotiations. Others warn that the window is closing quickly and that failure to act could lead to political fallout in the upcoming campaign season.
The impasse underscores the growing difficulty of managing government finances amid divided government and competing priorities. If a shutdown occurs, Congress would be under pressure to reconvene swiftly to pass temporary funding while continuing work on full appropriations.