Negotiations stall ahead of shutdown deadline as Democrats slam Trump for subverting spending laws
Washington According to three people with knowledge of the discussions, President Donald Trump's attempts to unilaterally stop funding and reorganize agencies have harmed an already tense push for a bipartisan agreement, which has caused government funding negotiations to stall ahead of a crucial deadline of March 14 to avoid a shutdown.
According to the three individuals, the first stage in finalizing any agreement is for congressional leaders from both parties to agree on a top dollar number to spend in the upcoming fiscal year. According to two of them, Trump's recent actions are not the main reason for the lack of progress, but they are a contributing element.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the Senate Appropriations Committee's vice chair, told NBC News in a statement that it is very ha...