Usa news: The last time Joe Biden met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy – 97 days ago – the president reiterated his long-held position that raising the debt ceiling is “not negotiable or conditional.”

But as the two leaders meet at the White House again Tuesday, Biden faces increasing pressure to soften his stance on Republicans’ demands for spending cuts ahead of a June 1 deadline to avoid a government default.

White House leverage is slipping
The White House hoped that deep cuts to government programs proposed by Republicans would prove so unpopular that enough GOP members of Congress would side with the president for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without conditions.
Instead, Republicans have stayed united. The Republican-controlled House voted last month to approve a bill that would increase the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion while cutting $4.5 trillion in domestic spending.
Biden has accused House Republicans of holding the country “hostage” in order to pass extreme spending cuts.
Yet 43 Republican senators – including Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – sent a leader to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday opposing any package to increase the debt ceiling that doesn’t include spending cuts. It means a bill to raise the debt ceiling without spending concessions would lack the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster in the Senate.