Trump needs Senate Democrats’ votes, but they are still weighing whether to use this rare point of leverage and risk taking blame for a shutdown.

After meeting with his conference, the Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said "Republicans do not have the votes" to advance the House-approved measure.

Senate Democrats are still not committing to helping Republicans pass a seven-month funding stopgap, edging the country closer to a government shutdown as they attempt to force a vote on a shorter funding patch.

As a shutdown deadline looms, Senate Democrats are mounting a last-ditch protest over a Republican-led spending bill that already passed the House which they argue gives President Donald Trump too much discretion on spending decisions.

Senate Democrats continued a standoff Thursday with Republicans over Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts as the US government approached a Saturday shutdown.