Senate and House Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will meet with President Trump Wednesday night to discuss the White House’s fall legislative priorities, a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed to TPM.
The White House confirmed in an email to reporters at 1:15 p.m. that “the President will host a dinner with the House and Senate Minority Leaders at 7PM.”
The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman first reported the meeting, saying that two people briefed on it had told her it would focus on the DREAM Act and shoring up health insurance markets, among other things.
…Shoring up insurance markets and fall deadlines, per two ppl briefed.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 13, 2017
The White House official who spoke to TPM confirmed that the meeting would focus on the Trump administration’s legislative priorities, but did not confirm the specifics, nor any others who would be in attendance.
According to multiple reports on the upcoming meeting, the Democratic leaders will make protections for DACA recipients — those covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a shield from deportation that President Trump ended on Sept. 5, with the first permits expiring in six months — a priority.
CNBC’s Eamon Javers said he was told the meeting would include Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and Chief of Staff John Kelly, in addition to Trump, Schumer and Pelosi.
Im told WH dinner tonight is expected to include: Ross, Mnuchin, Mulvaney, Kelly, POTUS … and Schumer and Pelosi.
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) September 13, 2017
BuzzFeed’s Kate Nocera said one person “familiar with the invite” told her it would be a follow-up on the meeting between Trump, Schumer, Pelosi and Republican leaders Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) last week.
Confirmed by a person familiar with the invite who described it in part as a follow-up on last week's meeting https://t.co/k3yQlXTH9P
— Kate Nocera (@KateNocera) September 13, 2017
The two Democratic leaders shocked the Beltway with that meeting by convincing Trump to agree to a government funding bill, hurricane relief and a short-term debt ceiling raise, all as McConnell and Ryan sat beside them in the Oval Office. The debt ceiling raise was especially sour news for Republicans, as it gave Democrats unexpected legislative leverage.
This post has been updated.