US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called a government shutdown "likely likely," blaming the impending funding cutoff on Democrats, whom he accused of refusing to back down from their demands, UNN reports with reference to CNN.
"Nothing is unavoidable, but I would say it's probably likely," Trump said from the Oval Office, adding, "I haven't seen them concede an inch."
The pessimistic forecast came after a White House meeting with Democratic congressional leaders yesterday ended in a stalemate over Democratic demands for healthcare concessions.
Hours later, Trump shared an AI-generated racist video on social media mocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, further deepening divisions between the two sides just hours before the October 1 deadline.
On Tuesday, Trump again targeted Democrats, again accusing them without evidence of seeking to "provide healthcare to illegal immigrants."
Recall
The State Department plans to furlough more than half of its directly employed US staff if the federal government shuts down this week.
Earlier, media reported that the United States is preparing for a likely shutdown — a cessation of government operations. If Congress fails to pass a temporary funding bill by midnight on Tuesday, the government and its agencies will be forced to cease all "non-essential" functions.