Government Shutdown Drags On, Reopening Unlikely This Week
The U.S. government is unlikely to reopen this week as a stalemate continues between the White House and Congress, despite repeated demands from former President Trump for a resolution. A key sticking point remains health-care subsidies, which Republicans are resisting despite Trump’s expressed willingness to intervene – but only after the government reopens to allow him to claim a win. “It’s not happening,” a Republican member of Congress told reporters,signaling a rare instance of defiance against Trump.
The former president has been largely absent from direct engagement in resolving the crisis, skipping campaign appearances with Republican candidates in virginia and New Jersey and remaining disengaged from shutdown negotiations. He recently blamed Republicans for failing to adequately promote his economic agenda during the campaign.
Democrats are capitalizing on the situation, highlighting what thay describe as the failure of Trump’s plans to lower prices and focusing their message on affordability and concerns about Trump’s actions while in office. These include the deployment of masked ICE agents targeting migrants, the use of the National Guard in American cities, and the ongoing construction of a large ballroom requiring the demolition of the White House’s East Wing – a project that has consumed a notable amount of Trump’s attention. According to Trump’s aides,he intends to double down on the policies he believes contributed to his 2024 victory,prioritizing the satisfaction of his base.
The ongoing shutdown is having increasingly severe consequences for the public. Food banks and nonprofits are struggling to meet the needs of millions of Americans who did not receive scheduled food-stamp benefits on November 1. Military troops are facing the prospect of missing their first paycheck next week. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that staff shortages will force dozens of airports, including major hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Dallas-Fort Worth International, to close portions of their airspace beginning tomorrow.
Federal employees,both furloughed and those working a second month without pay,are experiencing significant hardship. Max Stier, head of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, described the situation as ”an act of self-immolation,” adding, ”And there are so many challenges in our world; we don’t need this.”
(Russell Berman contributed reporting.)
