US Government Shutdown Enters Record Territory as Trump Proposes Direct Payments to Citizens
WASHINGTON – The US government shutdown is now the longest in the nation’s history, stretching to 39 days, as President Donald Trump proposes a novel solution to break the impasse: direct payments to American citizens, potentially mirroring a program like Indonesia’s Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLT). The move comes as Republicans aligned with the governance insist Congress promptly pass funding legislation without preconditions to reopen the government, before addressing othre policy disputes.
The ongoing shutdown has already had widespread consequences, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers without paychecks, disrupting vital food assistance programs, and causing important travel delays. Millions more Americans are feeling the ripple effects, and the stalemate shows no immediate signs of resolution. Trump’s proposal, while unconventional, aims to directly address the economic hardship caused by the shutdown and potentially build public pressure on Democrats to negotiate.
The President’s idea reportedly involves utilizing funds currently allocated to Affordable care Act (ACA) subsidies, redirecting them as direct payments to taxpayers. Senators James lankford of Oklahoma and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have publicly voiced support for the concept. Lankford argued that ACA subsidies primarily benefit insurance companies rather than individuals, stating they “pump money to insurance companies, not to the people to help,” and only assist “certain groups, not the general population.”
The ACA marketplace provides health insurance options for individuals who do not receive coverage through their employers or government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Trump’s proposal to repurpose these funds represents a significant challenge to the healthcare law,a long-standing target of Republican efforts.
This is not the first time Trump has suggested direct payments as a form of economic relief. During his first term, he proposed similar measures as part of a COVID-19 relief package. Representatives from the White House, Senate Majority leader John thune, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have not yet commented on the latest proposal. The fate of the shutdown, and Trump’s plan, remains uncertain as negotiations continue.