Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that a bipartisan deal to avert a government shutdown remains possible but accused President Donald Trump of derailing the process before talks even begin.

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Schumer confirmed that he initiated contact with Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Friday and welcomed the White House’s offer to host a leadership meeting.

“I called John Thune Friday afternoon, and I said, ‘Come on. Let’s sit down.’ The only way we’re going to get this done is a serious negotiation. And we need the President as part of it, we need Speaker Johnson. Let the four leaders and the President sit down,” Schumer said.

Schumer warned that the upcoming White House meeting could collapse if Trump uses it to air personal grievances.

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“It depends on the Republicans, you know? The meeting is a first step, but only a first step. We need a serious negotiation. Now, if the President at this meeting is going to rant, and just yell at Democrats, and talk about all his alleged grievances, and say this, that, and the other thing, we won’t get anything done,” Schumer continued.

Schumer said he remains hopeful Congress can strike a deal to keep the government open

“But my hope is it’ll be a serious negotiation. You know, I saw Leader Thune say we didn’t shut the government down when they were in the minority. You know why? Because I, as Majority Leader, sat down and negotiated with them. And we had to come to a compromise where neither side got everything it wanted. So if they’re serious, I’m hopeful we can get something real done,” Schumer noted.

Trump called off a meeting with top Democrats on Tuesday, claiming Republicans refused to give in to what he described as “unserious and ridiculous demands.” Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had requested the meeting in a joint letter, but Trump questioned the feasibility of reaching any deal under their terms.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed no meeting “could possibly be productive” and slammed Democrats for failing to recognize the “consequences to losing elections.” While speaking to reporters, Trump said he remained open to meeting with Schumer and Jeffries, but admitted, “I don’t think it’s going to have any impact.”

Senate Democrats blocked the Republican stopgap funding bill, with only Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman voting in favor. Trump blasted Democrats for pushing a counterstopgap bill that would cost nearly $1.5 trillion to fund the government for just four weeks.

Trump criticized the proposal for trying to lock in permanent extensions of Biden-era Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse GOP Medicaid reforms passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The plan also aimed to restore foreign aid and public broadcasting funds Republicans had already cut in July.

Democrats have not clearly specified what they oppose in the Republican stopgap measure.

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