A senior administration official told reporters this afternoon that the White House has “no plan for seeking additional funding” for the popular “Cash for Clunkers” program, which the administration is shutting down next Monday at 8 p.m.

“The overriding objective was to be conservative and to provide an adequate window for a soft landing [for consumers and dealers],” the official said.

Whether congressional defenders of the auto industry are ready to concede the end of this program — a boon to the automakers and dealers alike — has yet to be seen.