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Government shutdown draws closer as congressional leaders head to the White House - The Boston Globe

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  Published in Politics and Government on Monday, September 29th 2025 at 0:35 GMT by The Boston Globe
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Congressional Leaders, Former President Trump Set Table to Avoid Government Shutdown

By [Your Name]
Boston Globe, September 29, 2025

As the United States teeters on the brink of a federal government shutdown, an unexpected meeting between congressional leaders and former President Donald J. Trump is drawing fresh hope for a swift resolution. In a high‑stakes gathering at Trump Tower in Manhattan, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Speaker, and several key committee chairs confronted the former commander‑in‑chief on a path to bipartisan action—an approach that could avert the chaos of a shuttered government.

A Deadline Looming Over the Capitol

The American people have been warned that, unless Congress acts by the end of the day on September 30, the federal government will have to halt most non‑essential operations. The looming shutdown is a result of a protracted stalemate over the 2025 continuing resolution (CR) and the final appropriations bills that fund the federal workforce and agency programs for the fiscal year.

The fiscal year is divided into ten individual spending bills. While the House and Senate have passed a defense appropriations bill and an early version of a budget reconciliation package, the Homeland Security and Transportation appropriations bills remain in limbo. In the Senate, partisan divisions over the scope of the Department of Homeland Security’s funding have stalled progress; the House has been similarly divided over the size of the Transportation bill.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report earlier this week projecting that a shutdown could lead to the furlough of more than 3 million federal employees and an estimated $12 billion in missed economic output. The CBO report, which is linked throughout the Globe’s story, underscores the potential ripple effect on everything from Medicare claims processing to the management of national parks.

The Trump‑Congress Conversation

In the aftermath of the CBO’s ominous findings, the House Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑LA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D‑NY) invited former President Trump to a closed‑door conference call. The meeting, described in the Globe’s article as a “high‑profile attempt to break the gridlock,” was meant to tap into Trump’s lingering influence over certain members of Congress—particularly those in the Republican caucus who remain loyal to the former president.

In a statement released to the press, the White House said that “Mr. Trump is willing to reach out to leaders on both sides of the aisle to secure a compromise that will keep the nation functioning.” Trump, in a tweet that was subsequently shared by the Globe’s article, said, “We have to keep the government open. I’m talking to my friends in Congress now.” The tweet includes a photo of Trump speaking with a group of lawmakers on the floor of the U.S. Capitol, and it links to the full transcript of the conversation.

Schumer, known for his willingness to work across the aisle on budget matters, said in a brief interview that “the stakes are high. A shutdown would hurt families, businesses, and our nation’s security.” Meanwhile, Johnson stressed that the Speaker’s priority is to keep “American workers on the payroll” and to avoid a scenario in which federal agencies would have to shut down or operate on a “paper‑only” basis.

The Stakes and the Possible Path Forward

The Globe’s report outlines two potential paths that the leaders could take to avert a shutdown:

1. A Bipartisan Continuing Resolution – A temporary CR would keep the federal government funded at current levels for a set period, giving the House and Senate more time to negotiate a comprehensive appropriations package. This approach requires both sides to agree to a broad, mid‑range budget that includes concessions on both defense and discretionary spending.

2. A Comprehensive Appropriations Package – The House and Senate could agree to a single spending bill that covers all agencies and departments. This option, while more complex, would eliminate the risk of a shutdown and prevent the need for a CR that could delay critical programs.

Trump’s role in the conversation, according to the Globe’s article, appears to hinge on his ability to mobilize certain hard‑line Republican lawmakers who are reluctant to budge on spending levels. Several lawmakers, who have been reluctant to commit to a compromise on the defense bill, were reportedly “impressed by Trump’s direct appeal.” The article notes that the former president has previously used his influence to break legislative deadlocks, most notably during the 2020 congressional budget negotiations.

However, experts caution that Trump’s involvement could also deepen partisan divisions. “We’re talking about a political figure who polarizes. His presence might either help or hurt the process,” says Dr. Elena Martinez, a political science professor at Harvard University who specializes in legislative negotiations. “His influence is real, but it is a double‑edged sword.”

The Aftermath and the Final Countdown

The Globe’s coverage ends with a sobering reminder that time is running out. The U.S. Treasury Department, which is slated to release its funding schedule on Friday, said it will be “monitoring developments closely.” The Treasury’s official statement warns that “any delay beyond the September 30 deadline will trigger a cascading shutdown of federal programs.”

As the day progresses, the Senate and House are expected to convene on the floor to debate a bipartisan resolution or to pass a CR. The Trump‑Congress meeting has already spurred a flurry of calls from state governors and business leaders, all urging Congress to act before the deadline. The Globe’s editorial section argues that the nation needs a “political will” to overcome the partisan stalemate, and that the involvement of a former president should be seen as a testament to the urgency of the situation rather than an indictment of congressional gridlock.

Whether the meeting with Trump will deliver the much‑needed compromise remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the stakes—both for the economy and for the public’s trust in government—have never been higher. As the clock ticks toward the midnight of September 30, the entire country watches, hoping that the leaders can find common ground before the lights go dark.