By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The authorities shutdown is poised to grow to be the longest ever this week because the deadlock between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a brand new month. Hundreds of thousands of individuals stand to lose meals support advantages, well being care subsidies are set to run out and there are few actual talks between the events over the best way to finish it.
President Donald Trump mentioned in an interview aired on Sunday that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats who’re demanding negotiations to increase the expiring Reasonably priced Care Act subsidies. Echoing congressional Republicans, the president mentioned on CBS’ “60 Minutes” he’ll negotiate solely when the federal government is reopened.
Trump mentioned Democrats “have lost their way” and predicted they’ll capitulate to Republicans.
“I think they have to,” Trump mentioned. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”
Trump’s feedback sign the shutdown may drag on for a while as federal staff, together with air visitors controllers, are set to overlook extra paychecks and there’s uncertainty over whether or not 42 million People who obtain federal meals support will be capable to entry the help. Senate Democrats have voted 13 instances in opposition to reopening the federal government, insisting they want Trump and Republicans to barter with them first.
The president additionally reiterated his pleas to Republican leaders to change Senate guidelines and scrap the filibuster. Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected that concept since Trump’s first time period, arguing the rule requiring 60 votes to beat any objections within the Senate is important to the establishment and has allowed them to cease Democratic insurance policies after they’re within the minority.
Trump mentioned that’s true, however “we’re here right now.”
“Republicans have to get tougher,” Trump advised CBS. “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
With the 2 events at a standstill, the shutdown, now in its thirty fourth day and approaching its sixth week, seems more likely to grow to be the longest in historical past. The earlier document was set in 2019, when Trump demanded Congress give him cash for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
A doubtlessly decisive week
Trump’s push on the filibuster may show a distraction for Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., and Republican senators who’ve opted as an alternative to remain the course as the implications of the shutdown grow to be extra acute.
Republicans are hoping at the least some Democrats will ultimately change their votes as moderates have been in weekslong talks with rank-and-file Republicans about potential compromises that would assure votes on well being care in alternate for reopening the federal government. Republicans want 5 extra Democrats to cross their invoice.
“We need five with a backbone to say we care more about the lives of the American people than about gaining some political leverage,” Thune mentioned on the Senate flooring because the Senate left Washington for the weekend on Thursday.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday there’s a gaggle of individuals speaking about ”a path to repair the well being care debacle” and a dedication from Republicans to not hearth extra federal staff. However it’s unclear if these talks may produce a significant compromise.
Far aside on Obamacare subsidies
Trump mentioned within the “60 Minutes” interview that the Reasonably priced Care Act — typically referred to as Obamacare as a result of it was signed and championed by then-President Barack Obama — is “terrible” and if the Democrats vote to reopen the federal government, “we will work on fixing the bad health care that we have right now.”
Democrats really feel otherwise, arguing that the marketplaces arrange by the ACA are working as document numbers of People have signed up for the protection. However they need to prolong subsidies first enacted through the COVID-19 pandemic so premiums received’t go up for tens of millions of individuals on Jan. 1.
Senate Democratic chief Chuck Schumer mentioned final week that “we want to sit down with Thune, with (House Speaker Mike) Johnson, with Trump, and negotiate a way to address this horrible health care crisis.”
No urge for food for bipartisanship
As Democrats have pushed Trump and Republicans to barter, Trump has confirmed little curiosity in doing so. He referred to as for an finish to the Senate filibuster after a visit to Asia whereas the federal government was shut down.
Trump mentioned on “60 Minutes” that he likes Thune however “I disagree with him on this point.”
The president has spent a lot of the shutdown mocking Democrats, posting movies of Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries in a Mexican sombrero. The White Home web site is now that includes a satirical “My Space” web page for Democrats, a parody primarily based on the social media website that was well-liked within the early 2000s. “We just love playing politics with people’s livelihoods,” the web page reads.
Democrats have repeatedly mentioned that they want Trump to get severe and weigh in. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner mentioned that he hopes the shutdown may finish “this week” as a result of Trump is again in Washington.
Republicans “can’t move on anything without a Trump sign off,” Warner mentioned on “Face the Nation” on CBS.
File-breaking shutdown
The 35-day shutdown that lasted from December 2018 to January 2019 ended when Trump retreated from his calls for over a border wall. That got here amid intensifying delays on the nation’s airports and a number of missed paydays for a whole lot of hundreds of federal staff.
FILE – A management tower by an American Airways hangar is proven at Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport, Oct. 15, 2025, in DFW Airport, Texas. (AP Photograph/Tony Gutierrez, file)
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” that there have already been delays at a number of airports “and it’s only going to get worse.”
Lots of the staff are “confronted with a decision,” he mentioned. “Do I put food on my kids’ table, do I put gas in the car, do I pay my rent or do I go to work and not get paid?”
As flight delays across the nation elevated, New York Metropolis’s emergency administration division posted on Sunday that Newark Airport was underneath a floor delay due to “staffing shortages in the control tower” and that they have been limiting arrivals to the airport.
“The average delay is about 2 hours, and some flights are more than 3 hours late,” the account posted.
SNAP disaster
Additionally within the crossfire are the 42 million People who obtain SNAP advantages. The Division of Agriculture deliberate to withhold $8 billion wanted for funds to the meals program beginning on Saturday till two federal judges ordered the administration to fund it.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned on CNN Sunday that the administration continues to await extra course from the courts.
“The best way for SNAP benefits to get paid is for Democrats — for five Democrats to cross the aisle and reopen the government,” Bessent mentioned.
Home Democratic chief Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused Trump and Republicans of making an attempt to “weaponize hunger.” He mentioned that the administration has managed to search out methods for funding different priorities through the shutdown, however is slow-walking pushing out SNAP advantages regardless of the courtroom orders.
“But somehow they can’t find money to make sure that Americans don’t go hungry,” Jeffries mentioned in an look on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Related Press author Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
