GOP Claims Victory in Shutdown as Trump’s Cuts Raise Alarm/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republicans in Congress believe they are winning the political battle over the federal government shutdown, arguing Democrats caused it by refusing to pass funding bills. But President Donald Trump’s decision to impose deep, politically targeted budget cuts — mostly in Democratic-led states — has sparked unease within the GOP. Some Republicans now fear the White House’s aggressive tactics could erode their advantage and damage their party ahead of upcoming elections.
Quick Look
Story: GOP says it’s winning the shutdown, but Trump’s politically targeted budget cuts could backfire.
- President Donald Trump touts the government shutdown as a way to slash spending and shrink the federal workforce.
- The White House has announced billions in funding cuts — mainly in Democratic-led states — including energy grants and major transit projects.
- Republicans initially believed they had the upper hand politically, but some now fear Trump’s cuts may appear vindictive and alienate voters.
- Democrats have seized on the issue, linking local GOP candidates to the fallout and accusing Trump of using government resources as political weapons.
- The cuts are complicating Senate negotiations, prolonging the shutdown, and putting pressure on swing-district Republicans.
Quotable:
“This is certainly the most moral high ground Republicans have had in a moment like this that I can recall, and I just don’t like squandering that political capital,” — Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
Deep Look
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has embraced the ongoing federal government shutdown as what he calls an “unprecedented opportunity” to cut federal spending and downsize government. But his latest round of politically charged budget cuts — aimed primarily at Democratic-leaning states — is drawing concern from members of his own party, who fear the strategy could backfire and cost Republicans their current political edge.
Republicans in Congress entered the shutdown confident they had the upper hand. They argue Democrats forced the closure by rejecting straightforward funding bills in an effort to attach unrelated policy measures. However, the Trump administration’s decision to cancel billions of dollars in projects and threaten mass layoffs is testing GOP unity — and could give Democrats a path to shift public opinion.
“This is certainly the most moral high ground Republicans have had in a moment like this that I can recall,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. “I just don’t like squandering that political capital when you have that kind of high ground.”
Trump’s “Reaper” Budget Cuts Raise GOP Concerns
By Friday, hopes for a quick resolution had faded. Senate Democrats blocked another short-term funding measure, while the White House signaled that further agency cuts and layoffs were coming. Trump even posted a video Thursday portraying Budget Director Russ Vought as “the grim reaper,” underscoring his commitment to slashing spending.
Those cuts are beginning to alarm Republicans, who worry they may appear punitive and politically motivated. “There’s the political ramifications that could cause backlash,” Cramer added. “It makes everything going forward more difficult for us.”
So far, Trump has canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants across 16 Democratic-leaning states — all of which voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. On Friday, the administration announced another $2 billion cut targeting a public transit expansion in Chicago.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said additional funding reviews are underway for Portland, Oregon, and other major urban areas.
“He literally took out the map and pointed to all the blue states,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “It’s government by revenge.”
Democrats Seize on the Cuts as Overreach
Democrats have quickly seized on Trump’s actions as examples of abuse of power, arguing the cuts are designed to punish political opponents rather than reduce waste.
The issue is already reverberating in upcoming governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia, where Democratic candidates have tied their Republican opponents to Trump’s actions.
In New Jersey, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., blasted Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli after Trump blocked funding for the long-delayed Hudson River rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey. “What’s wrong with this guy?” Sherrill said Friday. “He’s putting thousands of good-paying jobs at risk to score political points.”
In Virginia, Rep. Abigail Spanberger accused Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears of staying silent as federal job cuts hit the state’s economy. “She’s refusing to stand up for our workforce,” Spanberger said.
Earle-Sears fired back, blaming Democrats for causing the shutdown in the first place. “They had the chance to stop it,” she said, “and they didn’t.”
Economic Fallout and Political Risk
The effects of Trump’s targeted cuts are rippling beyond politics. In California, the White House canceled $1.2 billion in hydrogen energy hub funding, which Gov. Gavin Newsom warned could cost 200,000 jobs.
Although California voted overwhelmingly for Harris in 2024, several competitive House districts could be affected — potentially reshaping control of Congress in 2026. Similar dynamics exist in New York and New Hampshire, where the loss of federal projects could shift key swing seats.
Democratic-aligned groups are already mobilizing. American Bridge 21st Century has launched ads targeting Republicans in affected states, accusing them of “standing by while Trump attacks their communities.”
“The cruelty that they might unleash on everyday Americans using the pretense of a shutdown is only going to backfire,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Senate Talks Struggle as Partisanship Deepens
The shutdown is now in its fourth day, and negotiations in the Senate are growing increasingly tense. Democrats accuse the White House of undermining bipartisan efforts by selectively targeting blue states.
“If you’re trying to get people to come together and find common ground, that’s the absolute wrong way to do it,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who has been part of the talks.
Even some centrists are skeptical. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who broke with Democrats earlier this week to support the GOP’s stopgap funding bill, called the cuts “so utterly partisan as to be almost laughable.”
“If they overreach — which is entirely possible — I think they’re going to be in trouble with Republicans as well,” King said.
Republicans Try to Contain the Fallout
Most Senate Republicans have avoided directly defending the White House’s approach. Instead, they continue to frame the shutdown as the result of Democratic obstruction.
“It’s the reason why Republicans have continued to support a continuation,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. “We do not want to see this. It’s not like we promoted it.”
Still, privately, several GOP lawmakers acknowledge that Trump’s “go-for-the-throat” tactics may be politically risky.
“The president sees this as a moment to reshape Washington,” said one Republican aide, speaking anonymously. “But not everyone in our party wants to burn the place down to do it.”
Bottom Line
As the shutdown drags on, Trump’s aggressive cuts are testing the limits of his political influence — and his party’s tolerance for the fallout. What began as a moment of Republican unity is now exposing familiar divisions between Trump’s confrontational style and a Congress wary of alienating swing voters ahead of 2026.
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