Trump Says He Won’t Be ‘Extorted’ by Democrats as Shutdown Deepens/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump says he will not negotiate with Democrats to end the government shutdown, now entering its sixth week. The standoff revolves around health care subsidies and a demand to reopen the government first. Democrats and Republicans remain divided, and key services and workers face growing strain.
Trump Rejects Shutdown Talks – Quick Looks
- Trump refuses negotiations, says Democrats must reopen government first
- Shutdown enters sixth week, nearing historic length
- Health care subsidies under the ACA remain central to the impasse
- Trump calls ACA “terrible,” Democrats want subsidies extended before talks
- Senate Republicans resist scrapping filibuster, despite Trump’s demands
- Air traffic delays worsen as unpaid workers stay home
- SNAP benefits risk interruption despite court orders
- Democrats urge Trump to get serious about ending the shutdown
- Trump mocks opposition, shows no signs of compromise
- 42 million Americans could lose access to food aid
Deep Look
Trump Refuses to Negotiate as Historic Shutdown Continues
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared that he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats demanding policy concessions to reopen the government, signaling that the record-breaking shutdown could drag on indefinitely as it nears the end of its sixth week.
In an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump made it clear he has no intention of returning to the negotiating table unless Democrats first agree to vote for reopening the federal government. He criticized their focus on health care subsidies and accused them of holding government operations hostage.
“I think they have to,” Trump said. “And if they don’t vote, it’s their problem.”
The impasse shows no signs of resolution. Democrats have now voted 13 times to reopen the government but insist that Republicans must agree to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies before any deal can be finalized. Meanwhile, more than 42 million Americans relying on federal nutrition assistance (SNAP) and tens of thousands of federal workers face worsening uncertainty.
Despite mounting pressure, Trump remains adamant that the GOP should not compromise. He again urged Republican leaders to eliminate the Senate filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes to pass most legislation.
“Republicans have to get tougher,” he said, adding, “If we end the filibuster, we can do exactly what we want.”
However, key Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, have rejected that strategy. Thune, speaking from the Senate floor before lawmakers left for the weekend, emphasized that the filibuster preserves institutional stability and has helped Republicans block Democratic legislation in the past.
Thune also called on moderate Democrats to cross the aisle and support reopening the government, noting that bipartisan conversations had been ongoing for weeks.
“We need five with a backbone,” he said, “to say we care more about Americans than political leverage.”
Health Care Stalemate
At the center of the standoff are ACA subsidies originally enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. These subsidies help keep premiums affordable for millions of Americans. Democrats are demanding an extension before any agreement to fund the government is reached. Trump, however, remains critical of the ACA, calling it “terrible” and promising to reform it only after the government is reopened.
“If they vote to reopen the government, we’ll work on fixing the bad health care we have,” Trump said during his interview.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and others argue the ACA marketplaces are functioning and that Americans are signing up in record numbers.
“We want to sit down with Thune, with [House Speaker] Johnson, with Trump, and negotiate a way to address this horrible health care crisis,” Schumer said last week.
No Signs of Compromise
Trump has shown little willingness to engage in bipartisan dialogue. After a trip to Asia, he immediately reiterated his call to eliminate the filibuster, framing it as an obstacle to his agenda. According to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, Trump has directly spoken with both Thune and Johnson about the rule.
Johnson and Thune, however, remain opposed to ending the filibuster.
Johnson emphasized that it protects Republicans from what he called the “worst impulses of the far-left Democrat Party.” Trump responded, “I like John Thune, I think he’s terrific. But I disagree with him on this point.”
Rather than engage in substantive policy talks, Trump has leaned into partisan tactics.
The White House released mocking videos and even created a satirical “My Space” profile targeting House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. The site joked, “We just love playing politics with people’s livelihoods.”
Mounting Consequences
The consequences of the shutdown are becoming increasingly dire. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of air travel disruptions due to unpaid air traffic controllers calling in sick or seeking other work.
Duffy said, “Many of these workers are facing a choice: feed their families, pay their rent, or work for free.” On Sunday, New York’s emergency management office reported a two-hour average delay at Newark Airport due to “staffing shortages,” with the threat of a full ground stop looming.
SNAP recipients are also in jeopardy. Though the Department of Agriculture initially intended to withhold $8 billion in funding starting Saturday, two federal judges intervened, ordering the administration to release the funds. Yet delays persist.
Democratic Rep. Jeffries criticized the administration’s slow response. “They can find money for other priorities, but somehow not to keep Americans from going hungry,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blamed Democrats for the ongoing crisis, saying, “The best way for SNAP benefits to get paid is for five Democrats to cross the aisle and reopen the government.”
Looking Ahead
The current shutdown has already eclipsed the 2019 record, when Trump similarly refused to sign government funding legislation unless Congress approved money for a border wall. That shutdown lasted 35 days before Trump retreated under growing public and political pressure.
Virginia Senator Mark Warner expressed cautious optimism that this shutdown could end soon with Trump back in Washington.
“Republicans can’t move without a Trump sign-off,” Warner said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
As the shutdown grinds on with no clear end in sight, millions of Americans are left waiting—uncertain when relief, stability, or compromise will come.
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