The president emphasized that he’s ready to solve the problem — but on his own terms, not through political blackmail. He made it clear that the real obstacle isn’t him, but Democrats who refuse to come to the table unless they get their way.
“Schumer is a basket case, and he has nothing to lose. … He’s become a kamikaze,” Trump said, firing off one of his sharpest jabs of the night.
At one point, O’Donnell tried pressing Trump into admitting the stalemate could drag on indefinitely. The president didn’t flinch.
“It’s gonna get solved, yeah. Oh, it’s gonna get solved,” Trump said confidently. “We’ll get it solved. Eventually, they’re gonna have to vote.”
When O’Donnell asked whether Democrats would ultimately cave, Trump didn’t hesitate:
“I think they have to. Now, I happen to agree to something else. I think we should do the nuclear option. This is a totally different nuclear, by the way. It’s called ending the filibuster.”
.@POTUS: "We can fix [healthcare]… but i'm not going to do it by extortion. I'm not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats… there is something wrong with these people…
The idea of scrapping the filibuster — long considered a sacred cow in the Senate — sent shockwaves through Washington. Trump’s suggestion was a warning shot to Democrat leaders like Chuck Schumer: either negotiate in good faith or face a new power dynamic that would strip away their ability to obstruct legislation.
The president also reiterated that he’s not opposed to improving healthcare — he’s opposed to keeping a broken system alive just to satisfy left-wing politics.
“We can make it much less expensive for people and give them much better healthcare,” Trump said.
Then he laid out exactly what Democrats were demanding — and why he refuses to comply.
“The problem is, they want to give money to prisoners, to drug dealers, to all these millions of people that were allowed to come in with an open border from Biden. And nobody can do that.”
.@POTUS on healthcare: "We can make it much less expensive for people and give them much better healthcare… The problem is, [Democrats] want to give money to prisoners, to drug dealers, to all these millions of people that were allowed to come in with an open border." pic.twitter.com/uPyrTsoXQh
Trump’s message was direct: Democrats’ priorities are misplaced. They’re fighting for illegal immigrants and criminals while hardworking Americans are paying the price.
As the shutdown enters its second month, Democrats appear to believe this game of political chicken gives them leverage. But Trump isn’t budging.
The president’s posture was clear — Democrats are not facing off against another party. They’re facing off against a leader willing to drive the agenda forward with or without them.
If Democrats truly care about the American people, they could end this crisis today. They could reopen the government and work with Republicans to fix healthcare responsibly. But instead, they’re holding the system hostage, hoping political theater will win them points.
Trump’s challenge was unmistakable. He drew a line in the sand for Schumer and his caucus:
Reopen the government, negotiate in good faith, and fix the problem — or take the blame for a shutdown that’s gone on far too long.
At the end of the day, it’s not Trump’s move anymore. The ball is firmly in the Democrats’ court — and America is watching to see if they’ll keep playing politics or finally start governing.
