Doha: US President Donald Trump said that a government shutdown "could happen", but he remains optimistic about passing temporary funding bill:

According to Qatar News Agency, Trump expressed his belief that the continuing resolution (CR) would be passed, thus averting a government shutdown. He stated, "It could happen. It shouldn't have happened, and it probably won't. I think the CR is going to get passed. We'll see," when questioned by reporters about the potential shutdown as the current funding was set to expire on March 14.

The newly unveiled bill by House Republicans aims to maintain government funding at current levels until the end of the 2025 fiscal year, concluding on September 30. Trump has shown his support for the stopgap spending measure and has urged his fellow Republicans to back the resolution to ensure government operations continue without interruption.