Trump invites congressional leaders to meet about government shutdown

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

President Donald Trump speaks with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 11, 2018.

President Donald Trump has invited eight top lawmakers to sit down Wednesday afternoon and discuss the partial government shutdown and border funding.

This would mark the first time Trump has met with Democratic and Republican leaders since the shutdown started Dec. 22.

Politico first reported news of the invitations, and NBC News confirmed with two congressional leadership sources and another person familiar with the move.

Democrats, who take control of the House on Thursday, have already signaled they will vote that day on two bills to try to reopen the government without providing the $5 billion for the border wall that Trump has requested.

Trump tweeted Tuesday afternoon about the possibility of making a deal with incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Trump tweet

Pelosi responded Tuesday afternoon, tweeting that the president has “given Democrats a great opportunity to show how we will govern responsibly & quickly pass our plan to end the irresponsible [shutdown]….”

Pelosi tweet

MSNBC correspondent Garrett Haake reported that some Democrats are wary that Wednesday’s meeting is more of a stunt than real negotiation.

Haake tweet

Congress has so far failed to break an impasse over the barrier’s funding, and no votes are scheduled. Lawmakers will get 24 hours notice before any vote on a deal to end the shutdown, which is in its 12th day Wednesday.

The White House invited Pelosi and Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Steve Scalise, R-La., as well as Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and John Thune, R-S.D., NBC News confirmed.

—CNBC’s Jacob Pramuk contributed reporting.