President Trump cracked the door slightly to negotiations with Democrats on the health care subsidies they've made central to the shutdown fight, then abruptly closed it Monday, leaving the two sides once again at a seemingly intractable impasse, the AP reports. Democrats are conditioning their support for a short-term funding patch on extending the health subsidies that lessen the cost of plans offered under the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. "We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things," Trump told reporters. "And I'm talking about good things with regard to health care."
The comments were one of the few hopeful signs Monday as the government shutdown hit its sixth day. Negotiations between the two parties have been virtually nonexistent since the start of the shutdown despite the impact on federal services. But Trump later followed up those comments on his social media site to reinforce what GOP leaders in Congress have been saying: The shutdown must end. And work on extending the enhanced tax credits for health insurance would take place separately. "I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open. In fact, they should open our Government tonight!" Trump wrote.
Before Trump walked back his remarks, the two Democratic leaders in Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, has both denied there were any negotiations with Trump. Jeffries said the White House "has gone radio silent" since a meeting in the Oval Office last week. "Trump's claim isn't true, but if he's finally ready to work with Democrats, we'll be at the table," Schumer said. (Meanwhile, Jeffries challenged the House Speaker to a televised debate as Friday looms with the threat of no payday for federal workers if the shutdown remains ongoing.)
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