WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at Senate Republicans to end the government shutdown, now the longest ever at 36 days, blaming the impasse for the party’s defeat in closely watched elections. Meanwhile, Democrats, emboldened by their off-year victories, dug in for a fight.
Trump, whose first term at the White House set the previous government shutdown record, said this one was a “big factor, negative” in Tuesday’s races. He revived his demands for Republicans to end the Senate filibuster as a way to reopen government—something senators have refused to do.
At the same time, Democrats hardened their resolve after sweeping governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, and the mayor’s race in New York. Democratic leaders said Trump needs to get serious about negotiating an end to the stalemate and resolve the problem of expiring health care subsidies that are central to the debate.
“The election results ought to send a much-needed bolt of lightning to Donald Trump that he should meet with us to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
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### Shutdown’s Nationwide Impact Deepens
Now into its sixth week, the shutdown and its impacts have deepened nationwide. Federal closures are disrupting the lives of millions of Americans with program cuts, flight delays, and workers scrambling to make do without paychecks. Officials have warned of a worsening climate to come, including chaos in the skies.
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### Elections as an Inflection Point and Trump’s Filibuster Demands
Expectations were high that the logjam would break once election results were tallied, as these races were widely viewed as a gauge of voter sentiment over Trump’s second term. But Trump’s Wednesday demand that Republican senators eliminate the filibuster to end the shutdown complicated an already difficult situation.
Facing divisions within their progressive and moderate ranks, Democrats said the election results showed that voters will reward them for the fight.
“It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster,” Trump said during a breakfast meeting Wednesday with GOP senators at the White House.
Trump told the GOP senators they could bring the shutdown to a close by ending the Senate rule, which requires a 60-vote threshold for advancing most legislation, and steamrolling the Democratic minority.
Currently, Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats have been able to block legislation that would fund the government, having voted against it more than a dozen times.
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said later that changing the filibuster does not have support and is “not happening,” though it could spur Republicans to deal with Democrats.
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### Trump Sets Another Shutdown Record
Trump’s approach to the shutdown stands in marked contrast to his first term, when the government was partially closed for 35 days over his demands for money to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall. At that time, he publicly met and negotiated with congressional leaders. Unable to secure the funding, he relented in 2019.
This time, Trump stayed out of the shutdown debate, instead maintaining a robust schedule of global travel and events, including time at his private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
It’s not just Trump declining to engage in talks. Congressional leaders remain at a standoff. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sent lawmakers home in September after they approved their own funding bill, refusing further negotiations.
Calling the shutdown a “sad landmark,” Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday, dismissing his party’s election losses and insisting Democrats need to drop their demands on health care until after the government reopens.
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### Senators Search for Deal as Shutdown Fallout Worsens
While talks have intensified among a loose coalition of centrist senators trying to negotiate an end to the shutdown, Democrats remain doubtful that any deal struck with Republicans will hold unless Trump also agrees.
Democrats said Trump’s postelection unease with the shutdown should spark talks but questioned whether the Republican president will keep his word, especially after the administration restricted SNAP food aid despite court orders ensuring funds are available to prevent hunger.
Moderate Democrats are quietly working toward an “offramp,” while progressive Democrats are holding out for the best deal possible.
“It would be very strange for the American people to have weighed in, in support of Democrats standing up and fighting for them, and within days for us to surrender without having achieved any of the things that we’ve been fighting for,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
In the meantime, food aid, child care funding, and countless other government services are being seriously interrupted. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or are expected to work without pay.
“Can this be over now?” Thune (R-S.D.) said as he returned from the White House breakfast. “Have the American people suffered enough?”
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### Skyrocketing Health Insurance Costs at Issue
Central to any resolution will be a series of agreements that must be upheld not only by the Senate, but also by the House and the White House, which is uncertain.
Senators from both parties are pushing to restore the normal government funding process, eyeing a smaller package of bills with widespread support to fund various aspects of government such as agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.
More difficult is the standoff over funding for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies set to expire at year’s end. With insurance premium notices being sent, millions of people are experiencing sticker shock from skyrocketing prices.
The loss of enhanced federal subsidies—which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic as tax credits—is expected to leave many people unable to afford health insurance.
Republicans are reluctant to fund the health care program, also known as Obamacare, without changes. Negotiating a compromise with Democrats is expected to take time, if a deal can be reached at all.
Thune has promised Democrats at least a vote on their preferred health care proposal as part of any deal to reopen government. But for some senators, that’s not enough. They see the health care deadlock as part of broader concerns with Trump’s direction for the country and want assurances it will be resolved.
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