Morning Report is The Hill’s a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here.

In today’s issue:

▪ Last-ditch meeting to avoid shutdown

▪ Eric Adams exits NYC mayoral race

▪ Federal agents patrol downtown Chicago

▪ Russia-Ukraine war threatens to spill over

President Trump and the four top congressional leaders are set to meet at the White House today for what could be the last best chance at avoiding a government shutdown.

Both sides appear to be digging in ahead of the meeting.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in separate Sunday television interviews that they were “hopeful” about avoiding a funding lapse this week but signaled they expect concessions.

“The meeting is a first step, but only a first step. We need a serious negotiation,” Schumer said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“Now, if the president at this meeting is going to rant, and just yell at Democrats, and talk about all his alleged grievances, and say this, that and the other thing, we won’t get anything done. But my hope is it’ll be a serious negotiation.”

GOP leaders haven’t budged.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) accused Democrats of holding the country “hostage” with demands for enhanced ObamaCare tax credits as part of a funding deal, while Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) maintained any discussion on the subsidies that expire at the end of the year would need to come after a stopgap is passed.

Unless an agreement is reached to keep the government open, funding will expire at the end of the day Tuesday.

▪ The Hill: Lawmakers dig in as shutdown deadline looms.

▪ The Hill: What happens during a government shutdown.

A House-passed measure backed by Republicans that would fund the government at current levels through Nov. 21 was defeated in the Senate earlier this month, along with a Democratic alternative.

With the Senate returning today after the Rosh Hashanah holiday, Democrats in the upper chamber will face a big decision on whether to vote down the bill again, The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports.

Sixty votes are needed to overcome a filibuster in the upper chamber, and with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) expected to oppose the bill over its continuation of Biden-era funding levels, at least eight Democrats would need to support the bill for it to advance.

The Hill’s Al Weaver reports that Democrats don’t seem to have any good options.

If they back the GOP bill, they risk further angering their base that wants their leaders to stand up against the Trump administration. But shutting the government down could hurt the economy and spur blame.

“It’s doubly made no good because it’s very clear that Republicans want [a shutdown]. Trump wants it. He’s fine with that, happy to have it,” one Senate Democratic aide said. “I don’t really know what your good option here is when they want one.”

Vice President Vance said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” that the administration doesn’t want a shutdown but if one occurs he argued it will be Democrats’ fault for not supporting the “clean” funding bill.

Predicting who will come out as the winner of the shutdown in the eyes of the public can be difficult to know in advance.

Further complicating Democrats’ calculus is the memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget calling to lay off many federal workers across various agencies if a shutdown occurs, causing non-essential employees to be furloughed.

Some members of the Senate Democratic caucus, like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), have expressed interest in finding an off-ramp. A promised vote on extending the health care subsidies could do just that.

The fact Trump invited congressional leaders to the White House for a meeting, after canceling one with Democratic leaders last week, was viewed by Schumer as a sign the bare-knuckled tactics were starting to pay off, Bolton reported.

Whether the meeting can stave off a shutdown remains to be seen.

Trump famously met with Schumer and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at the White House in late 2018 to try to extend government funding as Trump demanded money for building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Tempers raged at the meeting as the two sides blamed each other, and no deal was reached.

What followed was the longest shutdown in U.S. history, lasting more than a month.

“That was way too long. Ultimately, Donald Trump and Republicans came to their senses,” Jeffries said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

“Hopefully, we avoid a shutdown this time around. And if we’re in one, we find a quick path out.”

Editor’s note: Blake Burman’s Smart Take will return later this week.

3 Things to Know Today

1. Four people were killed and eight others injured in a shooting and fire Sunday at a Mormon church in Michigan. Trump said it appeared to be a “targeted attack on Christians.”

2. Federal immigration agents patrolled downtown Chicago as the administration steps up its crackdowns in major cities. Agents were armed, wearing masks and in camouflage, NewsNation reported.

3. Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year, was transferred from a facility in Virginia to one in Pennsylvania. He’s facing charges of human trafficking, to which he’s pleaded not guilty.

Leading the Day

ADAMS OUT: New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) has ended his long-shot reelection bid for a second term leading the country’s largest city after weeks of pressure for him to step aside.

Adams, the second Black mayor in New York City’s history, faced long odds from the beginning of his reelection campaign after his popularity hit rock bottom amid the indictment filed against him last year accusing him of accepting bribes in exchange for favors to businessmen and a Turkish government official.

The charges were later dropped in a long process that also received widespread scrutiny, as critics alleged a quid pro quo took place in which the Department of Justice agreed to end the case and Adams agreed to work with the Trump administration on its priorities.

Adams adamantly denied that any such agreement happened and denounced the case against him as politically motivated, without providing evidence.

But he never recovered in the polls and struggled with fundraising. In the four-way general election race, Adams was only averaging just more than 8 percent support as of last week in the Decision Desk HQ polling average.

His departure from the race leaves a three-person contest between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary in an upset.

Those opposed to Mamdani, a democratic socialist, have expressed concern for months that the vote against him would be split among multiple candidates, allowing him to win. Mamdani is the heavy favorite as the Democratic nominee in the overwhelmingly Democratic city, but polling has shown Mamdani with less than 50 percent support, suggesting a possible avenue for another candidate.

Cuomo has polled consistently in second and argued that he’s the most electable candidate. But with a three-person race, the anti-Mamdani vote could still be split, and Sliwa hasn’t shown signs, in public or private, of possibly ending his campaign, unlike Adams.

“Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who can defeat Mamdani. Our team, our resources, and our funding are unmatched. Most importantly, we have the best solutions to help working people afford to stay in New York City and feel safe,” said Sliwa campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna.

The race has likely become considerably more competitive with Adams out, and the type of voter that Adams appealed to — voters who are more moderate, voters of color and older voters — is the same type of voter that Cuomo has sought to appeal to. That could help the former governor narrow the gap with Mamdani in the polls.

But Cuomo has only seemed to have a chance in a head-to-head matchup so far, requiring more movement in the race with five weeks left before Election Day.

▪ The Hill: Cuomo warns of “destructive extremist forces” after Adams drops out.

▪ The Hill: Mamdani says Trump’s donors ‘will not dictate’ NYC mayoral race.

▪ New York Magazine: Without Adams, should Mamdani be worried?

TROOPS TO PORTLAND: In the latest expansion of the use of the National Guard in U.S. cities, Trump announced he’s sending troops to Portland, Ore., to protect the city and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities from antifa and other “domestic terrorists.”

Trump has previously sent troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and an influx of troops are expected in Memphis starting today, according to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R).

The move also seems to be an early action Trump has taken to address the anti-fascist movement after signing an executive order last week declaring it a “domestic terrorist organization.”

Since antifa is a decentralized movement without a clear leadership structure, how Trump intends the order to be enforced isn’t clear. But he specifically named antifa as a reason for wanting to send the guard into Portland, blaming it for putting ICE facilities “under siege.”

But Democrats were quick to push back, denouncing the move as a power grab and unnecessary.

“Authoritarians rely on fear to divide us,” Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), who represents Portland, wrote Saturday on the social platform X. “Portland will not give them that.”

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said she hasn’t received any details about the mission and has reached out to the White House for more information. She said “no national security threat” exists in Portland.

As has happened in other jurisdictions where Trump has sent troops, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield (D) announced on Sunday that he’s filing a federal lawsuit against the administration, arguing the deployment is unlawful.

Trump’s announcement also comes after the shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas in which one detainee was killed and two others were injured. Officials said the shooter hoped to “terrorize” ICE employees and wanted to harm them, though no ICE officials were hurt.

Kotek said she has been “abundantly clear” in conversations with Trump that the city and state can handle local public safety needs. But these assurance from other Democratic officials in other cities haven’t led to Trump backing down as the president eyes an expansion of his policy sending troops in.

▪ The Hill: Poll shows Americans generally oppose Trump’s National Guard deployment.

TRUMP TO QUANTICO: The president confirmed he plans to attend a rare gathering of hundreds of top military leaders on Tuesday.

He told NBC News in an interview on Sunday that the event will be “just a very nice meeting talking about how well we’re doing militarily.”

“We have some great people coming in and it’s just an esprit de corps. You know the expression ‘esprit de corps’?” Trump told the network. “That’s all it’s about. We’re talking about what we’re doing, what they’re doing, and how we’re doing.”

The meeting will take place at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va. The Washington Post first reported Trump’s attendance.

NBC previously reported that the meeting is designed for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to promote the military’s accomplishments and outline his vision for the Defense Department.

The directive for the meeting was sent to all senior officers with the rank of brigadier general or above, their Navy equivalents and their top enlisted advisers — equaling more than 800 generals and admirals.

Both the size of the gathering and the short notice for the hundreds of top military leaders are highly uncommon. Their attendance in one location, along with the president’s, also presents some security concerns.

Trump and Vance both downplayed the significance of the meeting after reports about it came out, with Trump saying those in attendance would be “touring equipment sites” and discussing the latest weapons.

▪ The Hill: Hegseth stirs speculation with mystery meeting of military leaders.

DEFENSE PRODUCTION: The Pentagon is urging defense contractors to increase missile production for a potential conflict with China, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Defense Department leaders and the heads of several top missile makers have met to discuss a push to speed up production, the Journal reported. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg is reportedly taking a particularly hands-on role in the discussions.

Defense contractors have added workers, expanded factory floors and grown their spare-part inventories, but some inside and outside the government are concerned that the Pentagon’s targets aren’t realistic, the Journal reported.

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” provided $25 billion for five-year munitions funding, but analysts told the outlet that the department’s goals require tens of billions more.

When & Where

The president will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu starting at 11 a.m., then hold a meeting, lunch and press conference with him. He will meet with congressional leaders at 3 p.m.

The Senate willmeet at 3 p.m. to resume business after a week off.

The House willnot convene on Monday.

Zoom In

DOJ WATCH: The Department of Justice’s attention-grabbing indictment against former FBI Director James Comey may be just the first of pending cases against various longtime Trump foes as the president has called for charges to be filed against others.

The case against Comey centers on testimony that he gave before Congress in September 2020 concerning the FBI’s investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, which were ultimately unproven.

Comey faces one count of making a false statement to Congress and one count of obstruction of a congressional proceeding. He has said he’s innocent and vowed to fight the charges. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 9.

Trump has called for investigations and in some cases charges against other political opponents, and the Justice Department could announce indictments against a few others soon, The Hill’s Filip Timotija reports. Trump has said he doesn’t have a “list” of individuals he wants to see face charges, but he said he expects others will come.

Vance said on “Fox News Sunday” that there “certainly” will be more indictments during the Trump administration.

New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) may be the most likely. She’s been under investigation for allegations of mortgage fraud, which she denies, and Trump has on multiple occasions called for her to be charged.

Trump pushed out the U.S. attorney overseeing the case against Comey and James earlier this month as they indicated they felt there was insufficient evidence to pursue either case. But Trump appointed a close aide, Lindsey Halligan, to fill that role, and she announced charges against Comey days before the statute of limitations was set to expire.

James’s allies seem ready for a possible case, as the Democratic Attorneys General Association created a legal defense fund for her after Comey was indicted.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) was the other official who Trump named in his Truth Social post this month encouraging Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue a case against. Schiff has also been under investigation for mortgage fraud and has denied the allegations.

Trump has also made comments that he wouldn’t be bothered to see former CIA Director John Brennan in handcuffs and called for Democratic megadonor George Soros to face racketeering charges.

Trump told NBC News in an interview on Sunday that he “would think” the Justice Department is investigating former FBI Director Christopher Wray as well.

He has repeatedly slammed Wray, whom he appointed to lead the FBI during his first term, as having done a “terrible” job and accused Wray of “inappropriate” behavior.

Comey’s indictment was particularly remarkable because while Trump has called for charges against his political opponents for a while, Comey’s is the first case where a top political enemy is facing charges, even as Trump allies maintain the case is based on the law.

▪ The New York Times: Trump sets precedent with Comey indictment that could haunt his allies.

▪ CNN: Why the Comey indictment is different from the Biden Justice Department’s indictment of Trump.

REDISTRICTING BATTLE: Another step in the national redistricting battle is done with Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signing the state’s new congressional map into law on Sunday.

Kehoe said the map, which seeks to increase the number of Republican House members in the state from six to seven, “best represents Missourians.” If it holds, the map will likely oust Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who has represented the Kansas City area for two decades.

The GOP governor has presented the map as putting the interests of Missourians first, but Democrats have slammed it as a power grab and pointed to the significant protests against it. They have also noted the handful of Republican state lawmakers who voted against it, though it wasn’t enough to doom it.

Efforts to stop the map may now turn to the courts and the public. A lawsuit challenging the map as an illegal racial gerrymander seems likely, and advocates are also gathering signatures for a petition to put the map on the ballot for voters to decide.

If they receive enough signatures, the map could be blocked through the referendum.

Elsewhere

RUSSIA WAR EXPANSION? The potential for Russia’s war with Ukraine to expand beyond its current area seems more likely as Trump and Russian leaders have had increasingly sharp words for each other.

Trump took a notable shift last week when he said Ukraine could regain all of the territory it has lost to Russia during their war after previously taking the position that Ukraine should be willing to give up territory for peace.

NATO members have been riled after a few instances of Russian drones entering Polish and Romanian airspace and Russian jets flying into Estonia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday that Russia has no intention to threaten European borders, but any aggressive action toward Russia will receive a “decisive response.”

Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack against Ukraine on Sunday, primarily targeting Kyiv and the surrounding region.

“This vile attack came virtually [at] the close of United Nations General Assembly week, and this is exactly how Russia declares its true position,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X. “Moscow wants to keep fighting and killing, and it deserves the toughest pressure from the world.”

Vance said on Sunday that the U.S. wants peace and has been trying to achieve it, but Russia needs to “wake up and accept reality” about the war, questioning how many more people they’re willing to lose and kill to achieve “very little” military advantage.

▪ The Independent: “How Trump’s comments have rattled Russia.”

▪ Wall Street Journal: “A visual timeline of Trump’s shifts on the Russia-Ukraine war.”

GAZA PEACE TALKS: Trump said a peace deal to end the almost two-year war in Gaza is in its “final stages” ahead of a meeting with Netanyahu on Monday.

The president told Axios in an interview on Sunday that negotiations are close and could lead the way for a wider peace in the Middle East. He previously expressed optimism after last week’s United Nations General Assembly about reaching a deal based on conversations that took place in New York City.

The president said on Truth Social on Friday that he sees more “Goodwill and Enthusiasm” for reaching a deal than he has ever seen before.

Trump has previously signaled a deal to end the war could be close, only for negotiations to fall apart and the war to continue. A ceasefire that the Biden and Trump administrations negotiated with Israel and Hamas in January lasted a few weeks, but fighting resumed after.

Still, this appears to be among the most optimistic that Trump has been yet that a longer-lasting deal could be reached. Any deal would likely require the return of hostages, both living and dead, who have been held in Gaza, the suspension of Israeli military operations in Gaza and the release of a certain number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, met with Netanyahu on Sunday in New York to try to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Israel. Trump told the outlet that Netanyahu agrees with his plan, though the Israeli government hasn’t stated its position.

One remaining sticking point is language around the disarming of Hamas in Gaza. Officials told Axios that Arab leaders told Trump last week they believe Hamas will accept his proposal.

Opinion

New Jersey’s election is a referendum on the blue state model, writes The Hill opinion contributor Alfredo Ortiz

Government shutdowns are to blame for flight delays, even after they’re over, writes New York Times editorial writer Binyamin Appelbaum

The Closer

And finally … Make sure to cast your votes for your favorite bear as Katmai National Park in Alaska hosts its annual Fat Bear Week.

The annual tournament, which has taken place for more than a decade, has different brown bears from the park face off for who wins the title of favorite bear ahead of their pending winter hibernation. The matchup is a single-elimination bracket, in which each bear faces another bear, and whoever receives more votes moves on until one bear remains.

Those interested in weighing in on the competition can go to the link here for the park. A dozen bears started out, but only one can win!