House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries firmly stated that former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party are intentionally steering the country towards a government shutdown. He attributes this looming crisis to their unwillingness to engage with Democrats and reach an agreement to protect essential healthcare funding from proposed cuts.
In a late Friday interview, Jeffries expressed a glimmer of hope that Congress might still achieve a resolution to avert a federal funding lapse before the critical October 1 deadline.
However, the cancellation of next week’s House voting session by Republicans and Trump’s abrupt cancellation of his own meeting with Democratic leaders this week have shifted the responsibility, according to Jeffries. He emphasized that “the onus is on Donald Trump to demonstrate genuine presidential leadership.”
Jeffries didn’t mince words, calling Trump and the Republicans “chaos agents.” He added, “In times that demand steady, presidential leadership, Donald Trump simply cannot deliver.”
This potential shutdown, while not the country’s first, threatens to be particularly severe. Trump’s budget office recently instructed federal agencies to prepare for widespread terminations of federal employees, a stark contrast to the usual temporary furloughs, should the government indeed shut down.
In response, Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, maintained that a shutdown could still be prevented if Democrats abandoned their demands. House Republicans had previously passed legislation to fund the government until November, aiming to complete standard appropriations work. However, this measure failed in the Senate, as did a Democratic proposal that sought to include the disputed healthcare funds.
“My sincere hope is that we can find a resolution within the next few days and successfully avert a government shutdown,” Jeffries stated.
Jeffries, poised to become House Speaker if Democrats secure a majority in the upcoming midterm elections, has emerged as his party’s leading voice in this critical funding battle. Democrats face pressure from voters who are increasingly agitated and insist on a firm stance against the Trump administration’s policies and halting funding for its agenda.
While Trump might avoid directly mentioning Jeffries by name—the Democratic leader noted he hasn’t been named by Trump since the former president entered politics a decade ago—Jeffries, conversely, explicitly referenced Trump multiple times this week.
Earlier at the U.S. Capitol, Jeffries challenged Trump directly: “Donald Trump, return to Washington, D.C.! Why are you attending a golf event when the government is just four days from a shutdown? That is absolutely outrageous!”
Following Trump’s sudden cancellation of a scheduled meeting with him and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Jeffries publicly questioned at the Capitol, “Why did you back out of the meeting, bro?”
During a private conference call with House Democrats on Friday, Jeffries advised his colleagues to “stay the course” and remain steadfast.
The Democrats’ primary objective is to reinforce healthcare funding, specifically to prevent the expiration of enhanced subsidies. These subsidies, established during the COVID-19 pandemic, were crucial in helping Americans afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Without renewed action, these vital financial aids will disappear, potentially leading to steep premium increases for millions across the nation.
Republicans have deemed Democratic demands to reverse Medicaid cuts, enacted through the GOP’s significant tax and spending bill signed by Trump this summer, as entirely unacceptable. Furthermore, GOP leaders argue that discussions regarding the ACA subsidies can be postponed until year-end, when their expiration date approaches.
“House Democrats stand united,” Jeffries declared. He added, “Donald Trump and the Republican Party are pushing the nation towards a damaging government shutdown simply because they refuse to tackle the healthcare crisis they themselves instigated.”
Meanwhile, Republican congressional leaders perceive Democrats as hurtling towards a significant political impasse.
Speaker Johnson, representing Louisiana, commented during an interview on the Moon Griffon radio show that Democrats “are stepping into a trap of their own making.”
Johnson admitted to advising Trump against meeting with Democratic leaders this week, despite the White House having initially agreed to Thursday’s scheduled encounter. Trump subsequently withdrew from the meeting without warning.
“We discussed this extensively yesterday and the day before,” Johnson recounted on the Mike & McCarty Show. “My stance was, once they fulfill their fundamental duty of keeping the government operational, then a meeting with the President could potentially be productive. But currently, it’s merely a waste of his time.”
This isn’t Trump’s first encounter with a government shutdown. During his initial term, the nation experienced its longest shutdown, lasting approximately 35 days over the 2018-19 winter holidays. This occurred when lawmakers rejected his demand for funds to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Prior to that, in 2013, the government faced a shutdown exceeding two weeks during the Obama administration. This was a result of unsuccessful Republican attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Jeffries anticipates that if this shutdown occurs, it will conclude similarly to previous ones.
“At the close of both previous shutdowns, Republicans ultimately realized their position was untenable,” he remarked. “In my opinion, the same outcome will occur this time if Republicans force a government shutdown because they insist on dismantling healthcare provisions for ordinary Americans.”