White House director for legislative affairs: Shutdown isn't likely

— -- Speaking with ABC News' Powerhouse Politics podcast, President Donald Trump's director of legislative affairs, Marc Short, batted down the prospect of a government shutdown in the wake of a no-show by Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer at a planned meeting with the president and Republican leaders on Tuesday.

Short is confident the White House and Republicans in Congress will make progress on their priorities.

"I don't think there's going to be a shutdown," Short told ABC News' Jonathan Karl.

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The debate over the spending bill could dictate the path forward for the tax plan - some Republicans are calling for triggers that would eradicate tax cuts if the deficit is not sufficiently reduced.

"If it's important enough for members to have the trigger (the president)is not going to stand in the way of that," Short said.

The administration, determined to avoid what Short considers distractions, has taken a similar stance on weighing in on the results of the upcoming Alabama special election.

"I think the president would look to work with any elected member. If the people have chosen to elect somebody to serve and represent their state with all the information that’s out there, then it’s hard for I think people in Washington to overturn the choice of the people," Short said in reference to the possible election of Roy Moore, who has been accused of multiple incidents of sexual misconduct, to the Senate.

Short is focused totally on pushing forward in the wake of what he perceives as diversion.

"It's been a good week for us," he concluded.