WASHINGTON
US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that Democrats have had no discussions with President Donald Trump about resolving the ongoing government shutdown or addressing the health care crisis.
“I do not know of any Democrats who have spoken to President Trump or members of his administration on this issue of reopening the government, enacting a bipartisan spending agreement, and addressing the Republican health care crisis,” he told reporters in the Capitol.
Jeffries said both House and Senate Democrats are “clear” that they will sit down “anytime, anyplace, with anyone” from the administration, including the president, to address the health care crisis.
Earlier, Trump said the White House was in talks with Democrats.
“We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things,” he said in the Oval Office. “And I’m talking about good things with regard to health care,” he added.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also said Trump’s suggestion was “not true,” stressing that for months, Democrats have been demanding Trump and Republicans come to the table and work with Democrats to deliver lower costs and better health care for the American people.
The Senate on Monday rejected a House-passed Republican stopgap funding bill to end the shutdown.
Right after the voting, Trump said he was “happy” to work with Democrats on health care but the shutdown must end first.
“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!” he said on his Truth Social platform.