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Republicans argue that Democrats are refusing to negotiate in good faith. “How can we have serious talks,” one GOP aide asked, “when they’re holding the government hostage over more taxpayer giveaways?”
Earlier in the day, President Trump hosted Senate Republicans for a working lunch at the White House. There, he applauded Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought for cutting excessive spending in Democrat-controlled states — even jokingly comparing him to Darth Vader for his no-nonsense budgeting style.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune made it clear that real negotiations can only begin once the shutdown ends. “As soon as we reopen the government,” he said, “the talks can move forward.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House in recess since passing a short-term funding bill last month that garnered virtually no support from Democrats. Johnson’s move underscored what many conservatives are saying — Democrats aren’t interested in compromise; they’re interested in control.
Even moderate Republicans like Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voiced frustration over the gridlock, calling for more involvement from the administration. “We do have good people that are doing exactly that, but I think it’s well recognized that it’s not just the House that has to figure this out,” she said. “The administration is going to have to sign off on it so that the House will ultimately sign off on it.”
But with both parties deeply entrenched, genuine dealmaking has hit a wall. Democrats continue to demand permanent Obamacare subsidies, while Republicans refuse to surrender to what they see as another massive government handout.
Not everyone in the Democratic Party is happy with their leadership’s hardline tactics. Several Democrats have quietly expressed concern that keeping the government closed could backfire politically — especially as federal workers go without pay and voters grow frustrated.
Still, the far-left faction of the party is keeping its members in check. Progressive activists have been staging nationwide “No Kings” protests aimed at demonizing Trump and pressuring Democrats not to give an inch. One Democratic senator, speaking anonymously, admitted, “People are going to get hammered if they vote for the House-passed measure to fund the government through Nov. 21.”
A source close to Senate Democrats told The Hill that moderates are hesitant to break ranks while the activist base remains on the warpath. The message from the left is clear: toe the line or face political exile.
While Democrats play politics, Trump continues to put the American people first. His stance is simple — reopen the government, pay the workers, and then negotiate real solutions. Anything less, he says, is just more of the same D.C. dysfunction.
And for millions of Americans watching this standoff unfold, the president’s message resonates: enough games, enough posturing — it’s time for Democrats to do their job and reopen the government.
Withhold ALL money that would go to a Democratic State and put all in one fund that 2 Democrats and 2 Republicans and House Chair must all approve every penny spent from that fund. Meaning, that new fund would use every and all the Democratic funds (they would have gotten), but now it will fund the money they wanted to spend on the illegals. So, Democrats need to put ALL their money where there mouth is and use only those funds taken from each Democratic state to fund what they want to give the illegals. When the fund is -0-, all payments for illegals stops. Nothing will be coming from any other source.