Senators see path to ending shutdown after Trump meeting

By Jordain Carney, Mia McCarthy | 03/24/2026 06:12 AM EDT

The breakthrough comes a day after the president threw a wrench into negotiations with a 11th-hour ultimatum.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) speaks with reporters.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has been helping negotiate an end to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Francis Chung/POLITICO

Senate Republicans believe they’ve found a path to ending the five-week Department of Homeland Security shutdown after meeting Monday with President Donald Trump.

Asked after the White House meeting if they had a solution after meeting with Trump, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama told reporters, “We do.”

“I’m going to be working through the night, so hopefully we can land this plane,” she later said.

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Britt and Sens. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Steve Daines of Montana met with Trump to pitch an agreement that would fund most of DHS.

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