Yuri Gripas/Reuters
President Trump is scheduled to depart the White House amid a looming government shutdown on Friday for a lavish gala marking his first year in office at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The White House released an itinerary late Thursday showing Trump and wife Melania would leave Washington, D.C., at about 4 p.m. Friday—just hours before government funding runs out if the Senate doesn’t pass a stopgap funding bill that’s already facing opposition. While lawmakers rush to beat the clock, the president will be preparing for his gala Saturday, where tickets starting at $100,000 a pair will buy guests dinner and a photograph with him, Bloomberg News reports. Democratic lawmakers were quick to slam Trump for leaving town amid a crisis. “Trump going to Mar-a-Lago while government shutdown looms is most irresponsible, self-absorbed, dereliction of duty ever by a President,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) tweeted. Matt House, the communications director for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), questioned why Trump is leaving town when lawmakers are waiting on him “to articulate what he’s for” so they can finalize a bipartisan deal.