McCarthy says White House wants ‘default more than a deal’

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Monday signaled there had been little progress in debt ceiling negotiations over the weekend, accusing Democrats and the White House of wanting "a default more than a deal."

"I still think we're far apart. It doesn't seem to me yet they want a deal, it just seems like they want to look like they are in a meeting but they’re not taking anything serious,” McCarthy told NBC and CNN when walking into his office Monday.

“It seems like they want a default more than a deal,” McCarthy added, echoing his sentiments from last week.

McCarthy’s assessment is a contrast from that of President Biden and his administration, which has been signaling progress in the talks. Treasury Department Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that debt ceiling negotiations have been "constructive."

Negotiators last week postponed a meeting between President Biden and the top four congressional leaders scheduled for last Friday, though staff-level negotiations have occurred since the five leaders met last Tuesday. Another meeting with the five principals could Read Entire Article