Authorities shutdown may turn into longest ever as Trump says he ‘will not be extorted’ by Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government shutdown is poised to turn into the longest ever this week because the deadlock between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a brand new month. Hundreds of thousands of individuals may lose meals support advantages, well being care subsidies are set to run out and there are few actual talks between the events over tips on how to finish it.

President Donald Trump mentioned in an interview aired on Sunday that he “will not be extorted” by Democrats who’re demanding negotiations to increase the Inexpensive Care Act subsidies that expire on the finish of the yr for thousands and thousands of Individuals. Echoing congressional Republicans, the president mentioned on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that he’ll solely negotiate when the federal government is reopened.

Trump’s feedback sign that the shutdown may proceed to tug on for a while as federal staff, together with air visitors controllers, are set to overlook further paychecks and there’s uncertainty over whether or not 42 million Individuals who obtain federal meals support will be capable to entry the help. Senate Democrats have now voted 13 instances in opposition to reopening the federal government, insisting that they want Trump and Republicans to barter with them first.

The president mentioned that Democrats “have misplaced their manner” and predicted that they are going to ultimately capitulate to Republicans.

“I believe they need to,” Trump mentioned. “And if they do not vote, it is their drawback.”

He additionally reiterated his pleas to Republican leaders to change Senate guidelines and scrap the filibuster. Senate Republicans have repeatedly rejected that concept since Trump’s first time period, arguing that the rule requiring 60 votes to beat any objections within the Senate is significant to the establishment and has allowed them to cease Democratic insurance policies when they’re within the minority.

“Republicans need to get more durable,” Trump mentioned within the CBS interview. “If we finish the filibuster, we are able to do precisely what we would like.”

With the 2 events at a standstill, the shutdown, now in its thirty third day and approaching its sixth week, seems prone to turn into the longest in historical past. The earlier report was set in 2019, when Trump demanded that Congress give him cash for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

A doubtlessly decisive week

Trump’s push on the filibuster may show a distraction for Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., and Republican senators who’ve opted as a substitute to remain the course as the implications of the shutdown have turn into extra acute.

Republicans are hoping that at the least some Democrats will ultimately give them the votes they want as moderates have been in weekslong talks with rank-and-file Republicans about potential compromises that might assure votes on well being care in alternate for reopening the federal government. Republicans want 5 further Democrats to cross their invoice.

“We’d like 5 with a spine to say we care extra in regards to the lives of the American folks than about gaining some political leverage,” Thune mentioned on the Senate flooring because the Senate left Washington for the weekend on Thursday.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that there’s a group of individuals speaking about ”a path to repair the well being care debacle” and a dedication from Republicans to not hearth extra federal staff. But it surely’s nonetheless unclear if these talks may produce a significant compromise.

Far aside on Obamacare subsidies

Trump mentioned within the “60 Minutes” interview that the Inexpensive Care Act — usually often known as Obamacare as a result of it was signed and championed by former President Barack Obama — is “horrible” and that if the Democrats vote to reopen the federal government, “we’ll work on fixing the dangerous well being care that now we have proper now.”

Democrats really feel in a different way, arguing that the marketplaces arrange by the ACA are working as report numbers of Individuals have signed up for the protection. However they need to prolong subsidies first enacted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in order that premiums will not go up for thousands and thousands of individuals on Jan. 1.

“We need to sit down with Thune, with (Home Speaker Mike) Johnson, with Trump, and negotiate a technique to handle this horrible well being care disaster,” Senate Democratic chief Chuck Schumer mentioned final week.

No urge for food for bipartisanship

As Democrats have pushed Trump and Republicans to barter, Trump has confirmed little curiosity in doing so. He instantly known as for an finish to the Senate filibuster after a journey to Asia whereas the federal government was shut down.

White Home Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt mentioned on “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox Information that the president has spoken on to each Thune and Johnson in regards to the filibuster. However a spokesman for Thune mentioned Friday that his place hasn’t modified, and Johnson mentioned on Sunday that Republicans historically have resisted calling for an finish to the filibuster as a result of it protects them from “the worst impulses of the far-left Democrat Social gathering.”

Trump mentioned on “60 Minutes” that “I like John Thune, I believe he is terrific. However I disagree with him on this level.”

The president has spent a lot of the shutdown mocking Democrats, posting movies of Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries in a Mexican sombrero. The White Home web site has a satirical “My House” web page for Democrats, a parody based mostly on the social media web site that was fashionable within the early 2000s. “We simply love enjoying politics with folks’s livelihoods,” the web page reads.

Democrats have repeatedly mentioned that they want Trump to get severe and weigh in. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner mentioned that he hopes the shutdown may finish “this week” as a result of Trump is again in Washington.

Republicans “can’t transfer on something with out a Trump log off,” Warner mentioned on “Face the Nation” on CBS.

Document-breaking shutdown

The 35-day shutdown that lasted from December 2018 to January 2019 ended when Trump retreated from his calls for over a border wall. That got here amid intensifying delays on the nation’s airports and a number of missed paydays for a whole bunch of 1000’s of federal staff.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” that there have already been delays at a number of airports “and it’s solely going to worsen.”

Lots of the staff are “confronted with a call,” he mentioned. “Do I put meals on my youngsters’ desk, do I put gasoline within the automotive, do I pay my hire or do I’m going to work and never receives a commission?”

As flight delays across the nation elevated, New York Metropolis’s emergency administration division posted on Sunday that Newark Airport was beneath a floor delay due to “staffing shortages within the management tower” and that they have been limiting arrivals to the airport.

“The typical delay is about 2 hours, and a few flights are greater than 3 hours late,” the account posted. “FAA planning notes present a risk of a full floor cease later if staffing shortages or demand will increase.”

SNAP disaster

Additionally within the crossfire are the 42 million Individuals who obtain SNAP advantages. The Division of Agriculture deliberate to withhold $8 billion wanted for funds to the meals program beginning on Saturday till two federal judges ordered the administration to fund it.

Home Democratic chief Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused Trump and Republicans of trying to “weaponize starvation.” He mentioned that the administration has managed to search out methods for funding different priorities throughout the shutdown, however is slow-walking pushing out SNAP advantages regardless of the courtroom orders.

“However by some means they will’t discover cash to make it possible for Individuals don’t go hungry,” Jeffries mentioned in an look on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in his personal CNN look Sunday, mentioned the administration continues to await path from the courts.

“The easiest way for SNAP advantages to receives a commission is for Democrats — for 5 Democrats to cross the aisle and reopen the federal government,” Bessent mentioned.

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Related Press author Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.