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Trump administration live updates: Trump, NATO leader to meet at White House

Trump is scheduled to host NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.

Last Updated: March 13, 2025, 10:13 AM GMT

President Donald Trump is hosting Ireland Prime Minister Micheal Martin for an annual St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Fallout continues from Trump's tariff policy, with new levies slapped on steel and aluminum imports, as well as his administration's reshaping of the federal government as layoffs begin at the Department of Education.

Meanwhile, shutdown focus moves to the Senate after the House passed a stopgap measure to keep the government funded through September.

Mar 12, 2025, 8:30 PM GMT

Democrats will not support GOP funding bill: Schumer

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to pass the House-approved deal to fund the government.

If a deal isn't struck, the government will shut down on Friday at midnight.

Schumer pointed the finger at Republicans for leaving Democrats out of the funding negotiations.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Mar. 11, 2025, in Washington.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

"Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort, but Republicans chose a partisan path drafting their continuing resolution without any input any input from congressional Democrats," Schumer said on the floor.

After days of closed-door meetings and tight-lipped interaction with the press, Schumer said Democrats will instead advocate for a 30-day clean stop gap bill meant to buy more time for appropriators to complete full-year funding bills.

"Our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR that will keep the got open and give Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation that can pass," Schumer said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Mar 12, 2025, 5:45 PM GMT

Trump continues to criticize NATO

The president was asked if America had a future in NATO to which President Donald Trump answered the alliance had to "treat us fairly if they pay their bills."

Trump continued to make unverified claims that the U.S. was paying more than other NATO nations.

Mar 12, 2025, 5:31 PM GMT

Trump says he can 'financially' pressure Russia, maintains Ukraine more 'difficult'

President Donald Trump declined to get into specifics when asked what he can do to pressure Russia to agree to the ceasefire proposal.

"We can, but I hope it's not going to be necessary," he said.

"There are things you could do that that wouldn't be pleasant in a financial sense," he added without diving into any specifics. "I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don't want to do that because I want to get peace."

President Donald Trump meets with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Mar. 12, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The president then reiterated his past comments that Ukraine was a bigger obstacle in negotiations.

"We've got Ukraine done. And, as you as you know, I've always said that Ukraine might have been the more difficult party," he said.

Mar 12, 2025, 5:27 PM GMT

Martin counters Trump claims about Irish investment in US

After President Donald Trump again claimed that Ireland harmed American jobs and the economy, but Ireland Prime Minister Micheal Martin chimed in noting the number of Irish businesses that operated in the U.S.

"It's a two-way street," the prime minister said.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin speaks while meeting with US President Donald Trump meets in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Mar. 12, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

"We've added value to American companies. We've increased our value. They've got access to the European market, and they did all of that. I understand where you're coming from fully, but I think it's a relationship that we can develop and that will endure into the future," he said.

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