Sources say Trump, Hill leaders to meet next Wednesday

President Donald Trump will meet next week with House and Senate leaders at the White House, congressional aides said Wednesday, as lawmakers return from August break to face a pile of legislative bills they must tackle and pursue a goal that Trump and Republicans covet: Tax cuts.

The meeting follows a recess that has seen Trump lambast several top Republicans, especially Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., after the collapse of the GOP health care bill in his chamber. That has wounded the president’s relationship with his own party, and the coming weeks should offer a test of how much clout he has with fellow Republicans.

McConnell is scheduled to attend next Wednesday morning’s White House meeting. Also going are House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Following the crash of their health care bill, most Republicans — including Trump — want to move on to a sweeping revamp of the tax code.

Their goal is to include a reduction in rates for businesses and individuals while not reducing federal deficits — a difficult balancing act.

Like the push to repeal former President Barack Obama’s health care law, that effort is likely to encounter strong Democratic opposition and divisions among Republicans, leaving its fate uncertain.