White House explored whether administration could make payments after debt ceiling breached

Senior White House officials explored whether the US could unilaterally continue payments should the debt ceiling be breached in mid-October but ultimately concluded it would not be possible to avoid default and economic catastrophe, a person with direct knowledge of the matter tells CNN.

The conclusion came as part of a review, first reported by The Washington Post, of potential options the administration may have as the US barrels toward an October 18 debt ceiling deadline with no clear idea of how Congress will reconcile how to avoid the first default in US history.

White House officials conducted the review as diligence to map out or test the viability any potential contingencies or theories as Republicans have continued to block Democratic efforts to suspend the debt limit, the person said. Among the theories explored, but dismissed as unworkable either due to legal, political or economic hang ups, was whether there were constitutional grounds to continue payments, as well as the idea of minting a trillion dollar coin, the person said.