The US government was hours from shutting down Friday as Democrats smarting over President Donald Trump's spending cuts threatened to block his federal funding plans -- although hopes were high for a resolution to the impasse.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday a potential U.S. government shutdown would lead to higher taxes for Americans because it would stall his tax cut plan. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed a stopgap spending bill to keep the government open,

President Trump said Thursday that Democrats would be to blame if government funding runs out this week and suggested a shutdown could delay GOP efforts to extend expiring tax cuts. “They do